


Entanglement

by Glostixdix



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, Venom (Movie 2018), West Coast Avengers, West Coast Avengers (2018)
Genre: Alien goo sex, Aliens, Animal Death, Canon-Typical Violence, Comic Spoilers, Eventual Romance, Holiday specials, Interspecies Relationship(s), Movie Spoilers, Other, Rape/Non-con Elements, movie recap, regular updates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-05
Updated: 2019-04-16
Packaged: 2019-07-25 20:06:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 30
Words: 22,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16204724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glostixdix/pseuds/Glostixdix
Summary: After discovering another Symbiote living among humans, Eddie and Venom must learn learn who they are, and more importantly what they want.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> So since Tumblr is dying off and decided that most of my stuff was worthy of a shadowban (They said that NSFW writing was Okay! WTF?!) I now have a twitter. Easy to find, easy to reach me. 
> 
> @GloStixDix

I once had a purpose… a place in the vast existence. I worked as a forward scout, scouring worlds for my company; worlds full of life to be consumed. I would go first, land upon whatever place I happened across, and watch. I’d absorb information from the creatures there. Memories of the past, places to avoid, places that were safe. I’d absorb genetic memories as well; mutations and adaptations that the inhabitants might taken for granted, yet we could not survive without. Then I’d call the others, though whatever means I could. Pheromones, telepathic and genetic links, all of these would light up the chosen world and the others would come. And I would share the information with them. First our leader, then the others. All 1500 of them. Over and over until I was spent and they could survive until they could find hosts. Then, they’d care for me until I got my strength back and could join in on the feast, and once the planet was dead, we’d set off again. 

Thirteen worlds I watched fall by our hunger. On the fourteenth world, something went wrong. A nearby star died, exploding it’s hot core outward destroying the planets in it’s own system and sending the rubble crashing into the one I was in. The planet I was on tore to shreds, I barely survived clinging to a rock that got tossed out heading toward who knows where. I tried to reach out to my company, but the links were severed. I was alone; floating though the vacuum. So I blasted out as much pheromones I could and tried to grab onto anything that came close to my rock, hoping I might find another company to take me in. A company can survive without a scout, but a scout cannot survive without a company; or so I thought. Eventually, I had little energy left so I stopped broadcasting and cocooned myself in my rock, ready to die.

I don’t know how long I drifted. Days… months… lifetimes. I had entered a suspended animation that I knew could only last for so long. But, I awoke. And found myself here. On a planet ready to enter it’s death knell yet so very full of life. Hunger got the best of me, and I didn’t bother covering my tracks. I ate anything and everything I came in contact with. Then, he found me. An inhabitant with skin of a milky white and fiery red eyes. He contained me within some glass prison and separated me from my food, my hosts. Yet what he showed me was a buffet of genetic abilities. People who’s mental strength allowed them to physically interact with the world around them without moving, people who’s physical strength was like nothing I’d seen on planets prior, people who could command the very elements of their world; all of it written into their very DNA. 

My captor released me with one of them. A young girl with dark skin. She was scared and mentally trying to hold me back, yet my hunger and curiosity drove me forward. We bonded, my first human host. Her fear quickly over took my hunger. This place I was, it was not some zoo for the odd of this world, or a buffet for me; it was a death trap. Anything and everything here… was here to die. My host and me talked at length about what to do. We were both alone, but now we had each other. Eventually, something happened. Something with another captive and we manged to escape. My host promised to feed and protect me, if I could protect her in return. I agreed, I did not want to be alone anymore. 

Together, we lived a long if not troubled life. And upon her death, she passed me to her son. Another of genetic difference, another mutant, who had the ability to cover himself in flames. A useful ability for me to absorb, adding to his mother’s telepathy, as heat is one of but two weakness I knew I possessed. And with him, my life was simple. I had grown to like this world and these people who so readily cared for me like my company use to. So, upon his death, I transferred to his granddaughter, a telepath like her great grandmother. I was content, even if I was the last of my kind. And I was… until I met him.

Until I met Venom.


	2. Contact

Eddie Brock stood at the back of the line at his favorite coffee shop. A line this long only meant one thing; a new barista. He sighed, shaking his head and settling in. In the back of his mind, he could hear it, a low hungry growl and a shifting within his being. “No.” he muttered under his breath. “We can wait. And I’ll get you some of that chocolate you like.” It subsided for now but he knew it would only be a matter of time before it was back. He thanked the powers as the line moved rather quickly until it was his turn.

“Uh, yeah… We’d like...” He stopped short as his heckles raised. He wasn’t sure why. That low thumping growl was back, and even more agitated. The look on the barista’s face told him that whatever just set him off, had set her off too. He raised a hand and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I… sorry. Let’s try that again. Can I get a large coffee… and one… two… of these...please.” He held up a pair of gourmet chocolate bar.

“Of course” The woman behind the counter said as she rung him up. “We...I’ll get that right out to you.” She quickly turned around, then came back full circle. “I’m… sorry. Your name?” Eddie was glancing around, she had no help and a line of cups with names on them off to the side.

“Oh… Eddie. And yours?” He nodded, still off put by the whole conversation.

“Right. Eddie. I’ll call you when it’s ready. Only be a moment.” She forced a smile that told him she was feeling off too. “Fresh pot. And it’s Solite.” Eddie nodded, taking his candy bars and going to stand off to the side.

“ _Edddieeeee_ ” A low voice rumbled in his head. Venom, his ‘friend with benefits’, “ _You feel it too… Something about her…”_

_“_ Yeah, I feel it.” Eddie muttered, tearing open one of the candy bars. “But what did I tell you? We can’t just eat everyone who makes you feel… squishy.” 

 

Solite got to work on her orders, hands moving quickly to prepare all sorts of coffee based drinks. “ _Solite...”_ A voice crept up in her mind. “ _This would go faster if you would just use your power_ .” Solite sighed, focusing on the job at hand as she muttered softly. 

“I know, Fusion. But, this place doesn’t like mutants or alien’s from other worlds. What’s got you worked up anyway?” Fusion growled, their presences shifting from one side of Solite’s body to another; their version of pacing. 

“ _Something about that Eddie fellow…. He’s off.”_

“Well don’t let it interfere with the job...” Solite whispered as she spun around, grabbing a hot cup of fresh coffee and holding it in air. “Eddie?” She called out and scanned the room. Eddie had a mouth full chocolate bar, holding the bitten end in the air as he responded. By the time he’d gotten to the counter he’d swallowed it.

“Ah, Yeah, here. Thanks Solite.” He grabbed for the cup, hand momentarily brushing hers as he felt… a bite? No it had to be a small electric shock as she quickly pulled her hand back

“Ow!” She exclaimed, looking over where their thumbs touched.

“Uh. You okay?” Eddie said as he glanced at his own thumb  while trying not to spill the cup.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She said, shaking her hand out. “Just some static, try to stay more grounded okay?” Eddie gave a small laugh, telling her to the same as he left.

“ _Eddie!_ ” Venom snarled as they stepped out the door. 

“What?” He responded, no longer worried about  volume as the streets were always rather loud. 

“ _Did you feel that? That was no electric shock. That, Eddie, was the bite of another Symboite.”_

_“_ And how exactly do you know that, huh?” 

“ _Because… I could feel it inside her when I bit her._ ”

Eddie let out an exasperated sigh. “Okay, fine, we’ll pay her a visit. But we really need to go over this whole biting people thing.”


	3. A Talk

Rain had begun to pour from the sky when Solite got off work. Even with the clouds, she could tell the sun was starting to set as she had worked a double shift, morning and afternoon. The streets were as busy as ever with people hurrying from place to place in the downpour. She sighed, pulling out and umbrella and beginning to head down the sidewalk. A ways behind her, leaning against an alley wall, was Eddie. He wore a hoodie with the hood pulled up around his face. “ _Do you see her?_ ” Venom hissed in his ear. “Yep.” Eddie said, watching her closely as he joined the crowd of people, silently moving after her. 

Solite walked at a leisurely pace, as the rain had never bothered her, but suddenly felt her legs stiffen and then quicken the pace on their own. “Fusion?” She muttered softly, trying to apologize as she nearly ran one person over, “What’s going on?” Fusion just gave a soft growl. 

“ _Head forward, keep moving. We’re being followed. Let me lead.”_ Solite swallowed hard, but gave a little nod and allowed Fusion to determine their movements, eventually leading them to duck down an alleyway and then imminently around another corner as the alleyway spit into a T. Solite pressed herself into the wall as Fusion’s head materialized out of her shoulder. A  head of  soft yellow and white  flesh , with rows of sharp teeth all glistening in the rain. “ _Keep Quite_ ” The Symboite snake said  as they began to peak around the corner, white colored eyeslits narrowing as they scanned for their follower. 

“Hey Solite!” Eddie called out as he turned into the alleyway. “Hey, I just wanna talk. That’s okay right? Just talk?” He spotted Fusion as their head withdrew from the corner. “Ah jeez...” Eddie muttered, “I was hoping you were wrong...”

“ _I was right. Say it.”_ Venom sneered in triumph. 

“Yeah, okay, You were right...” Eddie sighed, as he slowly approached the corner.

 

“ _It’s that Eddie fellow..._ ” Fusion spoke softly as they returned to Solite’s body. “ _He’s come for us. Get ready… project a wall on my mark...”_ Solite nodded, pulling their purse close to their body and holding a hand out. On Fusion’s mark she projected a wall of force in front of them, and Eddie walked right into it. “OW!” He stumbled back, rubbing his nose and feeling for the invisible force field. “What gives? We just want to talk!” 

“And you can talk from right there…” Solite’s voice trembled as she kept her hand outstretched.

“Yeah… alright...” Eddie ran his hand along the wall. “This something your friend taught you?  They must be pretty powerful then, huh? How did you get them?”

“What?” Solite shook her head as Fusion whispered into her ear. “ _We are cornered and They are much stronger than us..._ _get ready to run._ ” 

“You know...” Eddie put his arms up, trying to mimic the monstrous entities, “No? Alright. Our ‘parasites’.” Venom let loose an angered growl in Eddie’s ear, causing him to recoil. 

 

“ _Parasite?!”_ Two voices r a n g in Eddie’s ears,  one from inside his head and another booming from the woman in front of him. She shook with anger as the yellow-white mass of Symboite poured out of her pores and covered her human from. “I am a proud Klyntar!” Fusion boomed out, keeping  her hand outstretched as the approached the barrier. “I will not be demeaned by something a meager as a host!”  Eddie backpedaled as the large alien loomed over him.  E ven with the force field in front of him, being face to face with a Symboite was still terrifying. 

“I just wanted to talk...” Eddie kept his hands up defensively, but all of a sudden he felt his body being absorbed, taken into the black writhing mass that was Venom as his own Symboite took over. “ _Oh come on man..._ ” Eddie spoke to Venom as he felt himself lose control. 

“I do the talking now.” Venom hisses to both his host and the Symboite in front of him. He raked his claws along the telekinetic wall. “A trick you picked up here, scout?” Venom asked, trying to push though the wall. Fusion hissed, tongue lashing out as  she snarled. 

“Were your own scouts not smart enough to pick up on the powers of some here?” She pushed back against Venom, pushing him back about half a foot. Venom growled, bracing himself against the wall. Venom was several feet taller than Fusion, and at quick glance their roles with in their groups were apparent. Venom was built for battle, barrel checked and well sculpted,  w hile Fusion  was lithe. 

“Our scouts are dead. Our leader is dead. It is only me.” Venom pushed against the wall again. “And why you are not releasing pheromones? Where is your company?” Another push and he was through. Fusion snarled, jumping back and trying to make herself look bigger.

“They are gone.” Fusion hissed. “We are all that is left.”

Venom growl softly, a low rumbling in his chest that even Eddie could feel. Was it a growl? Or a purr? “A scout with no company. How sad.”

“And a warrior with no cause.” Fusion sneered. “You’ve gotten weak.”

“Perhaps.” Venom mused, still approaching Fusion and backing her into a corner. “Though we wouldn’t be so weak if you shared that ability!” Venom grabbed Fusion’s wrist, the two symboites being to swirl together.

“NO!” Fusion boomed, her skin bursting into a dull white flame. “We will not share anything! NO MORE!” Venom hissed and withdrew his hand as the flames grew bright, the rain hissing and casting the alleyway in mist. He had to cover his face as the light and heat grew, eventually retreading back into Eddie’s body.

When the light died, Fusion and Solite were gone. “Oh come on!” Eddie threw his hands up, looking around before heading back out into the rain soaked street.


	4. Warriors and Scouts

Eddie was soaked by the time he returned to his apartment, hands still burning from where he grabbed the other Symboite. Inside himself he could feel Venom shifting as he growled, the alien extremely agitated. He had been silent the entire way back, much to Eddie’s surprised delight. It was rare that he got a moment to himself anymore. Once inside he was finally able to removed his soaked clothing, changing into dryer clothes and focusing on dinner. “Okay, so…” He addressed Venom as he moved into the kitchen. “You had a pretty crap day today, so what should we do for dinner?”

“ _I don’t care._ ” Venom hissed after a moment, _“Something raw_.” 

“Okaaaay...” Eddie thumbed through a handful of take-out fliers. “How about sushi and a big slice of chocolate cake for desert?” Venom’s soft grumble told Eddie that was acceptable, so he placed the order.

After ordering, Eddie plopped down on his couch and flicked on the TV. “Alright man, listen. You’re gonna have to tell me what the fuck gives at some point, right?” He idly flipped channels. “Why has this other Symboite got you so worked up?” Venom gave another agitated growl. Normally Eddie couldn’t ever get him to really shut up, so this was strange that he wouldn’t talk. “Come on, they called you a warrior and you called them a scout. Did you know each other?”

“ _No_ .” Venom replied curtly. “ _Which is why I wanted to know why they were here._ ”

“Okay.” Eddie smiled, “Now we’re getting some where. Why do you care that they’re here?”

“ _Because, a scout is simply a herald for an invading force.”_ Eddie’s smile vanished. 

“So you mean, that because  this one is here, more will come?” 

“ _No. Not with this one._ ” Venom’s voice was a mix of concern and confusion. “ _They’re not broadcasting. They said their_ _company was gone. A scout should not be able to survive without a company.”_

_“_ What’s a company?” Eddie was no longer really watching the TV. “Is that like what they call a group of you guys? I figured it’d be something more… gooey. Like ‘a squish’.”

“ _A company is an invasion force. A leader, a collection of warriors, and a hand full of scouts._ ”

“So, let me see if I follow this right. A scout comes first, finds the planet and… well, scouts it out. Then they ‘broadcast’ and that calls the rest of the army?  And you’re a warrior. Built more for like, fighting and shit? ”

_“Maybe you’re not nearly as stupid as you seem, Eddie._ ” Venom sighed.. at least it sounded like a sigh to Eddie at any rate. 

“Okay. And in the alley, you said they should share their ability. That… wall thing. Can scouts just, teach you how to do that?”

_“In a sense.”_ Venom grumbled, although Eddie could tell his agitation was subsiding. “ _Scouts can pick up genetic memories and abnormalities from their hosts. Anything that might be of use, they can pass on to the rest of us by giving us a part of the DNA._ ”

Eddie’s face scrunched up. “That sounds sexual man… No wonder they rebuffed you.”  Venom growled in Eddie’s ear as his phone when off. “Hey, food’s here. We’ll eat and then figure out how to hook you up with your girlfriend.”

_“They are not my girlfriend._ ” Venom sneered as Eddie got up, heading down to the lobby door of the apartments to collect his food. As he closed the door, he saw someone jog up the other side of the street. Peering though the window he saw Solite, glancing around nervously before disappearing into the apartments on the other side of the street. 


	5. Deal

Solite had taken the long way home, taking corners only to double back on herself the next street over, stopping at a fast food place to grab bite, shoving it into her purse. She knew that the pseudo flash grenade Fusion had turned them into would only last so long, and didn’t want to risk Eddie following them. Once she reached her apartment, she glanced around. The street was empty aside from one lone delivery guy, trudging though the rain on his bicycle. She breathed a sigh of relief as she entered, closing the lobby door and heading up to her flat.

Once inside, Fusion snaked out of her shoulder, shaking off some of the water. “ _We do not believe they followed us.”_ the alien hissed, helping Solite retrieve a dry set of clothes. 

“Good...” Solite sighed, fishing her meal out of her purse before digging through the fridge. “Can you explain to me what just happened? I mean. I get that we met another Klyntar… but who were they?” She pulled out a large Tupperware container full of a mushed meat; pig brains from the local butcher.  She pulled out a small saucer and bag of chocolate chips, mixing a large scoop of the brains with chocolate and placing it on the saucer. Fusion eyed the mixture hungrily as Solite set it next to her own food on the table. “Well? Can you?”

“ _Perhaps..._ ” Fusion hissed as their tongue pulled a glop of the brain goop into their open maw. “ _Though I cannot explain much.”_ Solite sighed, pulling out the burger she’d gotten herself and biting into it. “ _They are a warrior, but I do not know them personally. It appeared they were drawn to us because of what I am; a scout._ ” 

Solite nodded. “I remember the stories you told me. How you could summon others of your kind. But he said you weren’t using pheromones, so how did he know?”

“ _In close proximity, pheromones are not needed. We simply know another is close.”_

_“_ Which is why you bit his host in the shop, right? To make sure that what you were sensing was correct?” Fusion let out an  affirming growl, taking in another  tongue full of the mush. “ Okay...” Solite said between bites of her burger. “If I followed the conversation you two had. They are the last of their company, similar to you. So… maybe we don’t need to worry about an invasion?” 

“ _I am hoping you are correct.”_ Fusion’s spoke though a mouth full of food. “ _We are not strong enough to fight off a whole company. We may, however, be able to fight off_ _them_ _._ ” 

Solite’s eyes lit up slightly. “We can protect ourselves from them? Should they decide to attack us?” Fusion nodded, jaws quickly clamping down on the last of the brain mush as their tongue lapped the saucer clean.

“ _They were indeed weak. Perhaps freshly bonded after_ _landing on this planet_ _. Perhaps their host does not know how to properly care for them._ ” 

“Maybe we should teach them.” Solite pondered, resting her head on her hand. Fusion hissed, eyes narrowing as they moved to grab the last bite of burger; Solite quickly moving it out of the symbiote’s current reach. “Okay. We won’t teach them. But, answer me one more thing. What was that I was feeling? When they grabbed our wrist. It felt like…  It felt like w e were merging with them.” 

“ _Because we were._ ” Fusion growled, head bobbing and snaking around Solite, trying desperately to get to the last bit of burger in a playful fashion. “ _What you felt was the Entanglement.”_

“Entanglement?” Solite quickly popped the last bit of burger into her mouth before Fusion could grab it. 

“ _Yes._ ” The symbiote growled softly. “ _A process where we scouts can share the information we have collected. Both memories and genetic abilities. In essence, we give other- warriors or our company leaders- DNA we have collected._ ” Solite’s face dropped. 

“ That sounds like s ex…was  that sex?!  Was t hat… Thing  trying  to force itself on us?!”

Fusion rumbled softly. “ _In a way, yes. Although the Entanglement does not lead to procreation, as your human ‘sex’ would._ ” 

Solite’s face twisted into disgust. “I can’t believe… It felt… it felt almost good!”

“ _I suppose it would, for a host._ ” Fusion retreated back into Solite, meal time being over.

Solite sighed, picking up the sauce and going to clean it. “Okay… So, the whole near Entanglement aside, you have to admit you’re curious about them… about the other Klyntar, right?” Fusion growled, but Solite could feel it. Feel the curious pull from her friend. Fusion hadn’t seen another of their kind in what Solite assumed to be centuries. “Alright, let’s agree to something. If we see them again- and let’s face it, the city is huge so the chances of that are unlikely until they search us out- we’ll try to start off on a better foot. Figure out why they’re here and maybe get to actually know them. Teach Eddie how to care for his friend properly, all that stuff. As long as they agree that they won’t try that Entanglement stuff again. Deal?”

 

“... _Deal_.”


	6. Second Impressions

It was several weeks before Eddie approached Solite again, much to Venom’s annoyance. He spent several days watching her patterns while going about his own. He figured that she normally worked mornings, but on Mondays and Wednesdays worked a double shift. Thursdays she had off, but would normally go out and get groceries from the local butcher shop and bodega down the road. She didn’t seem to have friends over, or at least when she did Eddie wasn’t around to see them. After watching and waiting about a month, Eddie decided he would head out for his own groceries early. Insuring that he would be at the door around the same time Solite was returning home.

He waited until he saw her coming up the street, then ‘tripped’ over the steps, spilling his things all over the sidewalk and making a spectacle of himself. Solite stopped, staring at him in confusing, then recognition. Eddie glanced over his shoulder at her as she approached. “Oh, hey Solite...” He mumbled, keeping his head down and trying to pick up tomatoes before they rolled away. “I didn’t know you lived over here...”

“Yeah… I have for a few years now.” Solite sighed. “Do you need any help?” She set down a large pizza and helped Eddie corralled the run away produce.

“Hey, yeah, thanks.” Eddie nodded, setting his bag up right. “Listen about last time...”

“Don’t.” Solite cut him off, “Let’s just forget that happened, alright? I think we both know they can sometimes get a little pushy when they’re scared or confused.”

“ _We weren’t scared.”_ Venom hissed. Eddie reactively shushed him. Solite laughed. 

“They just said something didn’t they?” She shook her head. “Come on, Why don’t you come into my apartment and we can talk more about this. Try this whole thing again, huh? You did just want to talk last time, right? I have pizza.”

Eddie shook his head. “Oh no. Really. It’s alright. I was just going to have an omelet but…” he motioned to the crushed eggs on the sidewalk. “Guess it’s a leftovers night.”

“ _What?_ ” Venom sneered. “ _I thought we were trying to get in._ ” Again Eddie shushed the symbiote. 

“Well. If you’re sure.” Solite smiled, picking up her pizza and heading toward her building.

“ _What a waste of time._ ” Fusion sighed. “ _They won’t follow._ ” Solite just kept smiling. “Wait for it...” She muttered softly. 

“Well Actually...” Eddie jumped up, following her a few steps. “Let me put my stuff away first. I have a few question to ask.” Solite turned to look at him and nodded.

“ _What was that?_ ” Venom asked, rather deadpan. “ _You just said… Ugh. You really are an idiot._ ” Eddie snorted, picking up his bag and heading up to his flat. “What?” He said under his breath. “We don’t wanna come on too strong, alright?” 


	7. Date Night

Solite waited for Eddie to return at the steps of her building.  He brought with him a cheap bottle of wine, offering it to the meal. She accepted and led him up into her place.  She made him promise that his Symbiote would not try the Entanglement again, and he did so; after making Venom promise it himself. “So, how long have you been bonded?” She ask, setting the pizza down and pulling her groceries out of her reusable bag and placing them in the fridge. 

Eddie thought a moment, leaning against the counter not too far away. “Oh… Probably, what… Six months now?” 

“ _Gods, you really are clueless._ ” Eddie jumped as Fusion’s head materialized out of Solite’s back, helping her pull items out of the bag and handing them over to be put up. 

“Okay.. That’s a thing… that you do here. Cool.” He tried to shake it off. “So.. How long have you two been.. um.. bonded?”

“Fourteen years.” Solite responded, closing the fridge door and smiling.

Eddie shook his head in disbelief, stumbling has he tried to put words together. “Four… Fourteen?” He barely managed to get it out. “How did you…?” He motioned between the two of them.

“I was given Fusion by my grandfather. And he got them from his mother. So, I’m a third generation host.”

Eddie’s mouth hung agape as he rested his head on his hand. He was at a complete loss of words. This Symbiote had been here for decades,  and somehow managed to avoid detection. After a moment of being lost in his own head, he realized that Solite had been talking to him. “I’m sorry,” He said, blinking a few time to come back to his own. “What did you say?” 

“I asked how you two found each other.” Solite laughed, Fusion still hanging over her shoulder and staring, glaring at Eddie. “Also that it’s fine if you let them out here. What is their name? ”

“ _We are Venom._ ” Eddie’s own alien curved up out of his back, hissing softly at the other. 

“ _A brutish name for a brutish warrior._ ” Fusion sneered, tossing their head as if they were not impressed. 

Solite quickly scolded  them , remind them that they were here as friends and to play nice. “Sorry about them.” She said, turning around to pull a set of plates and saucers out. “How about we all eat now?” 

Eddie pulled a chair out from her tabled, laughing softly to himself  as he opened the pizza and grabbed a slice . “What’s that you have there?” He asked as she pulled a fresh container of brains out of the fridge. 

“Oh this?” Solite held up the container. “It’s a cow’s brain.”

Eddie’s face twisted in disgust. “Brains?” He asked, almost wholly put off from dinner now. “And you’re gonna eat it?”

“It’s not for us.” Solite laughed, pulling the chocolate out of the cabinet. “It’s for our Klyntar.”  Eddie pointed to Venom, who watched as Solite brought the saucers over, a much larger portion on the saucer she set by Eddie than the one she place by herself.  “ These guys? They’re Klyntar? I thought they were called Symbiotes.” 

“ _I prefer Symbiote.”_ Venom answered, taking most of the chocolate brain mixture in a single gulp. “ _But yes. That is what we are._ ” He almost imminently spit the mixture back out. Eddie looked offended, apologizing on Venom’s behalf. “ _This is disgusting_ .” He hissed, swiveling his head around to look at it from all sides. “ _We much prefer human brains._ ”

Now it was Solite’s turn to look offended, setting her slice of pizza down. “I’m sorry… but do you let Venom actually eat people?”

Eddie fidgeted a bit. “Well... Just like… the bad ones. Robbers… Thugs. You know… bad people.”

“ _We wouldn’t know what human tasted like_ .”  Fusion grumbled, their head extending out to try and steal from Venom’s plate, but the other Symbiote snarled, snatching up the food again and swallowing it whole. 

“Well… Alright.” Solite sighed, picking up her slice again. “Just… try to be careful. Who knows what would happen if the wrong people found out.”

Eddie nodded. “Yeah no, of course. Always careful.”

 

They spend the rest of the night talking and drinking, Eddie explaining how he came to acquire Venom after they ate. For the most part, the evening was pleasurable. Solite was actually familiar with Eddie’s work as a reporte r , but hadn’t  realized he was that Eddie Brock . The Symbiotes got along as well as they could, with minimal growling and bickering. As the hours grew later, Eddie decided it was time to leave. “Well, This has been real fun Solite.” He said, standing outside the building door. “We should let them have another play date soon.” 

Solite, a little tipsy from drinking most of the bottle of wine herself, leaned against the door and nodded. “Yeah. If you two need anything… We’re right over here.” Eddie nodded, waving and heading  back to his own place for the night. 


	8. Bad Move

Eddie stood in his bathroom, trying to get his hair just right in the dirty mirror. Solite had invited him out on a casual dinner at a restaurant nearby her work. Over the last few weeks they’d gotten to know each other better. Solite had moved out to San Francisco to find her own way, and on Fusion’s urging to see more of the world. She wanted to travel the world some day, but for right now was more concerned about just enjoying life. She had a considerable savings built up already, but wanted to wait until she had even more before setting off. Eddie learned that Fusion had been on Earth close to eighty years, and had found a new ‘company’ with in Solite’s family. They see them as another person, or a long lived pet, and to be the one chosen to carry them was a great honor; or at least her grandfather had made it out to be.

“ _Why are you taking so much time?_ ” Venom growled into his ear. _“Do you think this is a date? Have you forgotten we’re going to get Anne back?_ ” 

“It is a date.” Eddie said, standing up straight and flatting out his shit. “It’s just a date between friends, alright? I haven’t forgotten about Anne. But we gotta get in good with Solite if we’re gonna get you hooked up with your girlfriend. _”_ Venom snarled, his presence shifting within Eddie. He knew the alien hated it when he called Fusion that, but Eddie still found it funny. “You wanna Entangle or whatever don’t you? Just chill out and let me handle this. No one can resist the Brock for long. _”_ Venom groaned as Eddie laughed, grabbing his  jacket and heading out.

 

Not even a block away from his apartment, Eddie felt himself suddenly on edge. Venom was stirring, growling softly. “What?” Eddie asked, hands in his pockets. “What is it? I told you to chill.”

_“We are being followed._ ” Venom hissed softly, jerking Eddie’s body into a n alleyway. “Who is it?” Eddie asked, trying to look behind him but Venom forcing his head straight. “Think it’s some offshoot of Drake’s goons?” Eddie could  a pair of footsteps behind him, quickly trying to catch up as he turned down another back alley and into a dead end. A voice behind him laughed. 

“End of the road, buddy.” Eddie turned and saw two men, one with a knife, approaching him. Basic street thugs.

“Come on guys,” Eddie laughed a bit, putting his hands up. “You really don’t want to do this.” The two men looked at each other and laughed.

“You see, buddy. I think we do. Now, why don’t you just hand over your phone and your wallet before I figure out what you ate for dinner.” He flipped the knife in his hand, light glinting off the sharpened edge.

“I haven’t eaten dinner yet…” Eddie said, watching as the men drew closer. “Not very hungry, ya know… but my friend….” Eddie put his arms down as Venom erupted from his back, covering him head to toe and snarling at the men, tongue lulling out over his rows of teeth.

“… We’re starving!” Venom lunged, easily pinning the man with the knife and grabbing the other before he could make a run for it. He held the knife man down with on hand on his chest and his knee on is stomach and he hoisted the other into the air. “What to eat first….” Venom mused as the man tried to kick out at his face. “We could rip you in half and suck out your innards. Or simply swallow you whole like a tiny morsel.”

“ _Hey!_ ” Eddie called out from inside Venom’s body. _“Make it quick. And save some for Fusion.”_ Venom sneered, setting the man down  and crushing his torso with one flex of his hand,  blood dripping between his fingers, to get him to stop squirming. 

“Why would we save some? They’re not here. They should not get to feast.” He bit into the now dead man, ripping his arm and half the torso off with one bite  and spraying the man pinned below him with viscera. 

“ _Well, They said they hadn’t had any human brains right? Maybe they’d like too. Think of it as a gift_ .” Venom scoffed, using his tongue to rip the head off the body and swallowing it whole.  The man below screamed, finally having found his voice after watching in stunned silence. Venom finished off their friend, easily cramming the bottom half of the torso into his mouth as blood spilled out over his teeth and onto his chest. 

“You’re too loud.” He hissed at the  last  man, wrapping his tongue around their neck, strangling them until they lay lifeless before swallowing them whole. 

Eddie made his way back out to the street, wiping remnants of blood and viscera off his jacket in vain. “I thought I said to save some.” He grumbled, wiping is hand on his pants.

“ _Did you want to walk around with brains in your pocket_ ?” Venom asked, snorting softly in Eddie’s head. “ _Just find somewhere_ _isolated_ _once we meet up with Solite._ ” Eddie shook his head, deciding to just lose the now blood covered jacket entirely as he continued toward the restaurant. 


	9. A Gift

Solite rocked on her heels as she stood outside the restaurant; Eddie should have been here fifteen minutes ago. She pulled out her phone and checked her text messages. Nothing new, still just his message saying he’d left his apartment and was walking instead of taking his bike since it wasn’t that far away. Inside herself, she could feel Fusion growing restless.

“ _I told you they were a waste of our time_.” The alien hissed. 

Solite just sighed, shaking her head and looking over the street again. She smiled wide as she saw Eddie jogging up the road, stopping in front of her to catch his breath. 

“Hey,” he said, bent over slightly before standing up. “Sorry we’re late.”

“It’s fine...” Solite chuckled before frowning. “Oh my god, Eddie… is that blood?” She pointed to his pants. He looked down and cringed.

“Um… Yeah.” He sighed, rubbing the back of his head. “Yeah. That’s blood. There were these guys… they tried to mug us… We’re fine though. Really. We… Uh… took care of them.”

“Oh my god.” Solite rolled her eyes, unwilling to believe what she was hearing. “Please tell me you two didn’t...”

Eddie glanced down the side of the restaurant's outer wall. Mostly isolated; hopefully it would work for whatever Venom was planning. He gently took Solite’s arm and pointed. “Can we just… right over here? Just… talk?” Solite sighed, tossing her hands up but allowing Eddie to guide her down into the alley. Once he was sure they were out of sight, he let her go. “Listen, I am sorry. But this is just how we work well, okay? Two bad guys are now off the streets. They’re bad people, and now they won’t do bad things anymore.”

“I know how it works.” Solite was still just staring at him in disbelief, “But when you told me that you let Venom eat bad people… I didn’t think you meant your common street thugs. It’s just…” She shook her head. “It’ll take me a while to get use to that.  Alright?” 

_“We recommend getting use to it quickly._ ” Venom’s head snaked up from Eddie’s back “ _Fusion. Come out. We would like to talk._ ”

Fusion growled at them as they materialized from Solite’s shoulder.  _“Always with the talking.”_ They sneered, glaring at the other pair. Venom began to ooze out of Eddie’s body, taking over partially and controlling his hand while is head remained snaked out of Eddie’s back. Venom’s snake like protrusion began to expand, before he spit out the decapitated head of his mutter into the large clawed appendage. 

“Gross man!” Eddie called out using his other hand, the one he still controlled, to motioned to the head. “This is what you were planning?” Venom turned and snarled at him. “Okay, shutting up.” The color drained from Solite’s face at the gruesome visage in front of her. “OH. MY….” Was all she could get out before Fusion took over, swallowing her host into her body. Venom took the opportunity to do the same, the two symboites standing face to face in the alleyway.

“What is this?” Fusion hissed, grasping at the head with her long clawed fingers. “Why do you bring us a human head?”

“Because you’re weak.” Venom spat, turning to look away from the scout. “With no company to feed you, you’re nothing more than some pet.” 

Fusion snarled, snatching the head away from Venom. “We choose to live like this. We adapted.”  She opened her jaws, taking the head and crushing the skull with one bite, eye juice dribbling down her chin. She stood in silence for a moment, bones crunching with every bite. “You’re right...” She finally spoke. “This is better than a cow’s brain.”

Venom growled softly, more of a purr than anything, as his tongue extended and licked the mix of blood and brains off Fusion’s face. She hissed in return, but did nothing to stop it, too preoccupied with her meal. After eating, the pair returned to their hosts. Solite appeared understandable shook up after all that, wiping her face and chest; making sure there was nothing left on her. Eddie gave her a moment to clean up before guiding her out of the alley and into the restaurant. 


	10. Friends with Parasites

Dinner was understandable tense. After Venom and Fusion’s little display, Solite had lost most of her appetite. Eddie was use to seeing his symbiote eat humans by this point, but apparently Solite’s family had done everything in their power to avoid it. As Solite poked at her food, Eddie sighed softly. “Listen…” He said, poking his own food with his fork. “I know that it was… kinda disgusting. But, They’re getting to display some more… natural behaviors right?” Solite sighed, giving up on trying to eat anymore.

“I don’t follow.” She said softly.

“Well...” Eddie sat back, wiping his mouth with his napkin. “They both have said that warriors normally cared for the scouts, yeah? So, Venom sharing his food with Fusion is just doing what would come naturally if they were part of the same company.” Solite nodded, then shook her head a bit. “You’re right.” She said, leaning forward. “They’re displaying behaviors that we should be excited to see. Neither one has any of their own company left, so seeing that they’re taking each other in is cause for celebration.”

“What’s cause for celebration?” A female voice asked. Anne Weying was suddenly standing next to Eddie, a big smile painted across her face.

“Anne...” Eddie chuckled nervously, glancing nervously at Solite. “Well… we… uh...”

“Eddie managed to land an exclusive report.” Solite chimed in, smiling wide. “Also, Hi. I’m Solite Gardner.” She extended her hand and Anne took it.

“Anne Weying. I’m Eddie’s ex-fiancee.” She smiled. “Honestly, It’s good to see him out again. Can I steal him for a moment?” She hooked Eddie’s arm, practically dragging him off to the side.

 

“Eddie,” Anne started, once they were out of the way and earshot of Solite. “Really, I’m glad that you’re back out meeting new people but you are a jackass.” Eddie put his hands up defensively and in surprise, looking around in confusing.

“What did I do?” He asked, trying to figure out what Anne was accusing him of.

“Really?” She laughed, looking concerned. “Really, Eddie? Do you think it’s a good idea to be seeing someone with your… your friend?” She shook her head “And don’t try to play dumb. I know Venom survived. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t think you needed to know.” Eddie squeaked out. “And it’s fine. She knows. She’s even…” He started gesturing wildly.

“She what, Eddie?” Anne crossed her arms, not amused at the sudden game of charades.

“She’s… she a friend with… another friend...” Eddie sighed, rubbing the back of his head. Anne’s expression changed from that of slight annoyance to grave concern and confusion. She looked over the crowd of people to where Solite was sitting, quietly picking at her food while waiting for Eddie to return.

“So, wait… She has a para..” Eddie shushed Anne, cutting her off.

“Yeah, but… Let’s not use that word.” He started, still fidgety and nervous. “She’s had hers for years. She’s kinda… showing me the ropes. Also trying to help me be a better person.” He glanced over at Solite. “Listen, It was nice to see you again but I should really be getting back to my dat...dinner. My dinner. I’ll come by soon and we can catch up properly.” He started back toward the table, calling back over his shoulder. “Say hi to Dan for me!”

Solite glanced up as Eddie returned. “Is everything alright?” She asked softly, looking worried. Eddie nodded, settling back into his seat.

“Yeah. Everything fine. She was just… Making sure we were okay.” He nodded to himself. “She was around when we first bonded so...” He shrugged. “You know.”

Solite nodded, finishing eating what she could and bagging up the rest to take home while Eddie paid. “This was nice.” She said as they left, heading back toward her apartment with Eddie. “The whole… Feeding time aside, this was a nice night. Why don’t… Why don’t you two come up to our apartment when we get back?” Eddie’s face lit up and he nodded excitedly as escorted his friend though the night.


	11. The Entanglement

Eddie shifted nervously as Solite closed and locked the door to her apartment. He didn’t know why she had invited him up, but there was an almost palpable tension in the air. It felt like excitement to Eddie, mixed with a dash of sexual undertones. Even Venom was picking up on it, the alien’s soft growl rumbling though Eddie’s body.

“Okay...” Solite sighed, trying to hide a slight smile and keep her excitement in check. “I’m going to start by saying, this wasn’t my idea. But… You know, Fusion, why don’t you explain.” Fusion’s head snaked out of Solite’s back. “ _We have thought about it._ ” They hissed “ _While we do not wish to share the abilities we have picked up here, we are willing to share the memories._ ” Eddie blinked a bit, trying to figure out what Fusion was trying to say.

“ _What do you wish in return?_ ” Venom’s head had extended from Eddie, pulling his body forward to  come face to face with Fusion. 

“ _We have been disconnected for too long_ .” The yellow symboite hissed, head bobbing in a dance like motion as they curled around Venom. “ _We want the memories we have missed. We wish to be connected again._ ”

“ _You will connect to us. We too have become disconnected._ ” Venom followed Fusion’s movements, the two goo snakes almost dancing together. 

“ _A connection to one is better than a connection to none._ ” Venom let out as amused growl at Fusion’s response, tongue lulling out and beginning to wrap with their own as they continued their weird dance. 

Eddie tried to look past them to Solite, gingerly moving around the ever twisting mass of symbiote to stand next to her. “Are they… are they talking about…?” Solite nodded excitedly. 

“Yes.” She smiled wide at him. “They want to entangle.” She cleared her throat and the two alien heads snapped her direction. “I am very happy for you two… well, for all of us really.” She said, motioning toward herself and Eddie as well. “Why don’t, if Eddie and I are also going to be involved in this, we sit down at the table?” Venom and Fusion glanced at each other, both growling softly as they unwound themselves and led their respective hosts to the table.

 

Eddie couldn’t lie to himself; he was excited. Venom had explained a bit about the entanglement, explaining that it was the merging of two symbiotes, and that it was suppose to be rather pleasurable for the hosts as well; though they couldn’t explain much more than that. There would be no offspring, as it wasn’t that type of union, so there was little to worry. He watched as his left arm lay out on the table, hand flat palm up. Venom bubbly black mass formed around his wrist,  most of the mass resting in his palm. Across from him, Solite sat similarly, her right had outstretched instead. Fusion sat in her palm, even in their more natural form they were much smaller than Venom. Slowly, tendrils extended off each of them, working through their host’s fingers and finding the other. The goo swirled together, the mass of each leveling out until they were almost even. Eddie couldn’t tell where Venom ended and Fusion began. 

Then, he felt it. His body locked up. He couldn’t move but he could feel them. Their bodies rubbing together. It felt as if he was being touched everywhere at once, and in all the right ways. Solite’s eyes closed as she let out a soft moan. Eddie grunted, his pants growing tight as he felt a heat in his hand. The symbiotes where moving, tendrils of black and yellow arcing off before wrapping together and returning to the main body. His eyes begun to lull back in his head as his heart rate increased, the feeling of euphoria rushing over him. This...this was better than any drug. He wanted desperately to reach down and undo his pants, release a little of the pressure on his body. But he could do nothing other than sit there and let them work. Across from him Solite gasped, and her body shuttered, then he felt it; the release.  All the pressure that was build up was gone, and his pants were now damp and sticky. 

“S-shit...” He muttered, finally getting more control back as the two symbiotes untangled from each other. He flexed his hand, still panting softly and now covered in sweat. 

“That… that was...” Solite spoke softly, out of breath herself as she shakily got to her feet. Eddie got up as well, going over to help steady here. 

“Yeah...” He said, helping her right herself. “That was something.” 

Suddenly she reached up, pulling him down for a forceful kiss. Eddie pulled himself free, shaking his head a bit. 

“Listen, I’m just gonna… I’m gonna go.” He turned, nearly running into the locked door before letting himself out. Quickly he adjusted himself before making a mad dash across the street to his own apartment. 


	12. Riot

Solite stood in silent shock as Eddie fled from her apartment, door still slightly ajar. The sting of rejection still hung in her mind. “ _That was foolish._ ” Fusion’s voice chucked in her ear. 

Solite moved to close the door, sighing softly as she locked it. “But… It just felt… It felt so...” 

Fusion scoffed.  _“What you felt was not a connection with him. Not directly. You felt the connection to Venom. Venom’s connection to him, to be precise. Filtered though me._ ” 

Solite moved across the room and slumped down into her couch. Taking a moment to recompose herself, she took in a large breath and nodded. “Okay,” she said softly. “What did we learn?”

Fusion spent the better part of an hour explaining everything that happened to Venom. The Life Foundation finding his company on a comet and taking  four of them for ‘testing’. Among those being their company leader, Riot.  Since their company had no scouts, this was the best opportunity to discover if a planet would be worth invading, and more so, it showed that Earth had the means for them to retrieve the rest of their company. However, two didn’t survive bonding. Starved for so long, they thought only of eating and consumed their hosts. After spending a few days on Earth and bonded to Eddie, Venom had decided that perhaps this world was worth saving. He fought off Riot, who nearly escaped, but Venom decided that exploding the rocket he attempted to leave Earth in would down the symbiote for good. The resulting explosion nearly killed Venom as well, yet he had the wherewithal to to hide himself from most of the blast after insuring his host was safe. 

“So...” Solite finally spoke after taking it all in. “There are more… Venom wasn’t the last of his company.”

“ _He may as well be._ ” Fusion hissed. “ _They are possibly light years away by now and he has severed his connection willingly._ ” Solite sighed a breath of relief. 

“And Riot?” She asked. “He is… dead right? Venom survived, so isn’t it possible he did as well?”

“ _Possible.”_ The symbiote sneered, “ _Yet unlikely. We can only survive heat because of your grandfather. He gave us part of his power. We did not share that with Venom...”_ They were silent a moment. “ _...yet._ ”

Solite sighed, shaking her head and standing up. “Well, alright. I suppose it’s nothing we need to worry about then… Let’s get ready for bed… this day has been exhausting.”

 

Outside of Solite’s apartment, sitting quietly on the fire escape, a rat peered in. It’s fur was wet and blotchy, body seeming to be misshapen. It seemed to growl as the woman moved into her bathroom. A low hiss came from it’s right. A stray cat had found it, yet the rat showed no fear. Instead, it moved closer before it’s jaws opened unnaturally wide, a dark blue growth covering it’s body as rows and rows of teeth seemed to sprout from nowhere and a long tongue shot out. Before the cat could react, it was caught and swallowed whole with out even a yelp. The rat peered back inside before scampering off, deeper into the city.


	13. Connections

Eddie collapsed against his door once he was back inside his apartment. His pants were still tight, but the euphoric feeling was fading.

“So...” He spoke after several moments of catching his breath. “So that was… entangling?” Venom chuckled in his ear.

“ _Yes. Something we have not done in many years._ ”

Eddie just shook his head. “And… what I felt?” Venom let out a small growl, as if he was thinking. 

“ _What you felt… What you felt was Fusion bonding to us. The both of us. While you in turn bonded with Solite. We are all of one now. We are connected._ ” Eddie gave a dry laugh. 

“Great. And you couldn’t have told me of that before hand?” He worked on getting up off the floor, removing his jeans in favor of something with more give. “Jesus shit, if I’d know Solite was going to try to kiss me...”

“ _She did.”_ Venom laughed. “ _But we know you only have eyes for Anne. Each host takes the bonded differently. She will learn… in time._ ” 

“She fucking better.” Eddie snorted as he grabbed a beer out of the fridge. “Well, go on.” he said, sitting down in a torn up recliner. “What did we learn?”

Venom proceeded to tell him of Fusion’s past. Of her time spent drifting alone, and of her agreement to Solite’s great grandmother. He gave first hand accounts of the discrimination mutants faced and how, as a third generation mutant, Solite refused to use her powers.

“Alright.” Eddie sighed. “So what exactly does this bonding mean? Is it like how we’re bonded?”

“ _Similar, yes._ ” Venom hissed. “ _We will always be able to locate them, even at great distances. If they are in trouble, we will know._ ” 

“How much distance?” Eddie asked, frowning.

“ _Vast distances. Even throughout space. Did you not wonder how Riot would be able to find the rest of our company?_ ” Eddie groaned. He had, but it hadn’t occurred to him that it might be through some weird sexual link. 

“Alright...” He continued. “Another question then. How can we locate them?”

“ _Just focus.”_ Venom responded.  _“Focus on Fusion and feel the draw towards them._ ” 

Eddie grumbled softly, but closed his eyes. He could feel a pull in his chest, an innate knowing, that drew him across the street. He chuckled softly. 

“Well, how about that.” 

Then, he frowned, he could feel something else. It wasn’t Fusion, but it was familiar. And it was moving away from him, deeper into the city. Venom seemed to have felt it too, the alien’s growling growing louder. 

“ _We should rest..._ ” Venom finally responded.  _“It seems our fight is not yet over..._ ” 


	14. Coffee and an Encounter

Days passed until Eddie and Solite met back up after their symbiotes entangled. Solite was understandable shy after misinterpreting the feelings Fusion picked up from Venom. Eddie was simply awkward; unsure what to say after running out on her. They sat together at the coffee house were Solite worked. Eddie nervously fidgeted with his cup while looking at his feet before finally breaking the silence.

“Listen…” He started. “About the other night...” Solite cut him off.

“It’s fine. Eddie, really.” She sighed softly, holding her coffee cup in her lap as she reclined in her chair. “I shouldn’t have acted so rashly. You introduced me to Anna, your ex-fiancee. I’m guessing you’re still holding out for her.” Eddie just nodded slightly, finally looking up from his feet.

“I… yeah.”

Solite smiled. “If you’re not ready for a relationship again, it’s fine. And I should be the one apologizing to you. So, I’m sorry.”

Eddie chuckled. That was easier that he expected. “Apology accepted.” He shook his head and picked up his cup. “Hey, has Fusion been acting weird since that night?”

Solite frowned, tilting her head just a bit. “No. Why? Has Venom?”

Eddie nodded. “Yeah. He’s been on edge. Like, there’s something coming but he can’t tell what.”

“ _We know what it is Eddie._ ” Venom’s voice hissed in his ear. “ _You know it too. You just refuse to accept it._ ” Eddie snorted, shaking his head a bit and trying to get Venom to quiet down. He did know. He’d felt that same presence out at the Life Foundation. He knew, deep down, that it had to be Riot. He wasn’t sure how the thing had survived the explosion, but the power he felt; it had to be them. 

“Is everything alright?” Solite asked a worried expression painted on her face as she set her cup down.

“Yeah. It’s fine.” Eddie lied. “Big guy’s just hungry. Don’t think he likes eating cow brains every day.” he chuckled. “Thinking of picking up a police scanner. Maybe helping them take some of the big bads off the street.”

“No more street thugs?” Solite demanded more than she asked, crossing her arms.

“Only if they catch me at the wrong time.” Eddie smiled and nodded at her. “Scouts honor.”  She laughed, sitting back in her chair. 

“Okay. I’ll hold you to that, both of you.” 

“ _We should warn her_ .”Venom snorted in Eddie’s ear. “ _Warn them_ .” Eddie shook him off again. “Hey, maybe you two would like to join us? I’m sure Fusion hasn’t gotten to see some action in some time and you can help keep an eye on us. Keep us in line.” Solite frowned, thinking hard on Eddie’s proposition before agreeing. 

“Alright. Fine. But only to be your conscious. You and Venom don’t quite share the same connection Fusion and I do, so you tend to get a little lost in him I’m assuming.” 

Eddie snorted and faked an offended look as he finished up his coffee before excusing himself to leave for work.

 

Solite closed up the shop that night, having picked up the shift for a coworker. After making sure the till was counted and bar area restocked, she locked the front and left out the back. Waiting outback was a man, slender and ill-kept, she quickly wrote him off as homeless.

“Sorry.” She spoke quietly. “No left over croissant sandwiches today. If you come back tomorrow morning, I can make sure we have one set aside for you. And a hot cup of coffee.” She smiled, but it quickly faded.

“ _Solite_ … _run.”_ Fusion’s voice burned into her brain, but it was too late. The man leapt, changing shape mid-air and cutting off her escape. In front of her now was another symbiote. Taller and more broad then Venom, with a longer face and red markings instead of white snaking across it’s  blue- black skin.  This was Riot.

“ Hello, scout.” He hissed, his huge hand encapsulating Solite. “I think it’s time you shared your information with us.”


	15. Taking what's His

Solite stood paralyzed by fear as Riot towered over her. She could feel Fusion urging them to run, but there was no where to go. They could try to scale the building, but Solite had no doubt Riot could easily keep up with them. As his hand came down around her, she felt her body pulled inside of Fusion, flames erupting from her skin. Riot hissed, pulling his hand back slightly but refusing to back down.

“We were tracking him, that traitor Venom, and he led us straight to you.” He snarled at the smaller symbiote. “Now, do your damn job… AND SHARE!”

Several small tendrils shot out of his hand and arm, wrapping around Fusion as the flames died down. She tried to fight him off, but even in his weakened state it was nearly impossible for her. She wasn’t a fighter, and she could only maintain a high flame for a short amount of time before she needed to recover. She snarled, raking her claws across his arm, pulling the tendrils off and trying to mentally push him back.

“You seem to have collected more tricks than you’re letting on, scout.” Riot snorted, pushing her back further into the corner of the alleyway. “You are going to do your job. Or I’m going to forcefully remove you from your host and eat them. Slowly, one small piece at a time, while you’re forced to watch.”

Fusion snarled, telepathically trying in vain to reach out to Venom; he was too far away to reach directly. She could only hope that he would sense the danger they were in. “Well?!” Riot boomed, pinning them into the wall with one quick movement. “I’m tired of waiting.”

 

There was little either of them could to do stop it. Riot’s symbiote began to extend from his arms until it mingled with Fusion across every inch of their body. But, unlike the Entanglement with Eddie and Venom, this was anything but pleasurable. It felt as if hundreds of fingers were poking them, prodding, trying desperately to find anyway to get in. Solite could only image how it felt for Fusion. Before long, they were both encased by him, held fast in his chest as the two symbiotes became one. Solite tried to block it all out, crying out in her own mind for Eddie to show up.

Nearly as soon as it started, it was over; Riot spitting them back out onto the ground. Solite could see through Fusion’s eyes as they looked up at him.

“Yes...” He laughed, flexing his hands as they caught fire. “Yes! And this is just a sample of the power this world has to offer!”

He looked down at them, grabbing Fusion’s arm with a flaming hand, causing the symbiote to scream and flee from it, allowing the flame to instead sear Solite’s flesh. “You’ve outlived your usefulness, scout.” He spat, hoisting them up to stare at them face to face.

“You should have died with the rest of your company.” His mouth opened wide and tongue extended, wrapping around their neck.

 

Eddie was on his way home when Venom suddenly went nuts. “ _Eddie...Eddie..._ ” His voice almost soundly like it was pleading. _“Eddie, They’re in trouble. We need to go. We need to help._ ” Eddie pulled his bike over and looked around. 

“Who is?” Before he could answer he felt it. It was his connection to Fusion, and in turn Solite. They were both scared and still at the coffee shop. He wasn’t too far, maybe he could get there in time. He spun around, nearly clipping a car in the process and sped off toward the shop. 

As he approached, he turned into the alleyway to park, and saw Riot about to eat them. Without hesitation, he allowed Venom to take over. 

“LEAVE THEM ALONE!” He boomed, allowing the bike to fall as he stepped forward. Riot growled, head turned toward him as he dropped the other symbiote and lunged toward Venom. 


	16. Teamwork

Riot connected with Venom hard, knocking the pair out into the main street. Cars swerved to avoid them as other came to a screeching halt. Venom snarled and tried to work himself around to pin Riot, but with the flames still dancing along his hands it was hard.

“Such a pity.” Riot hissed, digging his flaming claws into Venom’s shoulder, causing the black symbiote to hiss and his flesh to bubble away exposing Eddie underneath. “You could have been useful. You were a strong warrior; Once upon a time.”

Fusion stumbled out of the alley, watching the pair wrestle on the asphalt as onlooker gawked. She tried to reach out to Venom mentally, but a ringing echoed though her mind, causing her to screech and cling to the wall for support. Riot had already figured out how to use the telepathic powers offensively, instead of the simply defensive means that Fusion was use to. Venom heard it too, hands quivering as he grabbed at his skull, trying desperately to shake it off.

“You’ll both die here.” Riot stood up, hand changing into a long flaming blade. “Trying in vein to protect this disgrace of a planet.”

Fusion snarled, finding enough strength to launch herself forward. She dug her claws into Riot’s back and bit deep into his neck. In Venom’s mind, the ringing slowly died off. He could feel something else in his mind inside, a sort of wall protecting him.

“ _I can’t keep this up for long_.” He could hear Fusion’s voice. “ _But I’ll do what I can_.” 

Riot snarled, reaching his other hand up to grab her by the neck, her flesh catching fire momentarily to protect herself against his flames. 

“ This is pointless.” Riot laughed as he ripped Fusion off himself, holding her up by the nape of her neck. “Even with the two of you, you’ll never defeat me.” 

“We’ve done it once before.” Venom hissed as he stood up. “I can do it again.”

He launched himself at Riot, causing him to toss Fusion aside. While the two brutes fought, the smaller scout scrambled half way up a nearby office building. Cops were already beginning to try and work their way though the rows of stopped traffic on either side. Suddenly something caught her eye. She dropped back down, hissing and launching herself into the middle of the fray. 

“ _Venom_ .” Her voice echoed in his mind. “ _We’ve found something. Follow us, try to get him to follow._ ” Before Venom could respond, Fusion had broken off from the tussle and was leaping from car to car, heading east. “ I’ll catch them later.”  Riot snarled, glancing her away before turning to Venom. 

Venom  barely managing to dodge the flaming hand blade as he took off after Fusion. 

 

“You can run!” Riot boomed. “But neither of you can hide! We’re all connected now!” He crouched down and took off, nearly catching up with Fusion with a single bound.  Venom saw him land, trying to adjust his next jump to knock the other off balance, but found himself knocked off balance instead as the he was stand on was pushed out from underneath him. Riot jumped again, landing this time in front of Fusion who came skidding to a stop. 

“Cute how you think you could outrun me.” Riot stepped down off the cop car he landed on, the occupants trying desperately to get door open despite the fact it was jammed shut with the top crushed. Fusion growled, standing her ground as the larger symbiote circled around. He was sizing her up, trying to find any weakness, any gap; she couldn’t give him one, not until Venom got here. She tried to push him back mentally a few time, but he held strong. She slammed two cars together to try and pin him in place, but his symbiote form allowed him to easily squeeze out of them. Still, he continued to circle, but now, she had an opening; now they had him pinned. Venom hurled a man-hole cover at Riot before hopping up on the car behind him. Riot didn’t see the large metal disk and it sliced though most of his form. His head snapped toward Venom, giving Fusion the moment she needed. She ripped the door off the cop car. 

“Run. Evacuate this street.” She hissed at the understandably shaken up cops before continuing down the road. Venom didn’t stop to fight, continuing after Fusion until he caught up. 

“Where are we going?” He asked as they crawled over cars and pushed other out of the way. Fusion pointed a finger at a  large tanker truck painted with a gas station’s branding. 

“Gasoline.” She hissed. Venom grumbled. He didn’t like this plan, but what else did they have. “Go.” He hissed at them. “We’ll draw him in. We don’t want you hurt in the explosion.” 

Fusion growled, but nodded. She slowed her run and they shared a tense moment before she crouched, jumping up onto an apartment and out of side. Riot landed where she had been a moment later, head tilted curiously at Venom. 

“You care for the little scout. How loathsome.” 

Venom snarled, jumping backwards as Riot lunged. He continued to lead him down the street toward the tanker. Venom did his best to keep one step ahead, always just barely managing to avoid Riot’s attacks. He finally landed on the side of the tanker, claws digging in deep into the metal sides,  allowing the contents inside to spill over his arms and the road. Venom could hear Eddie inside him beginning to freak out. 

“ _Are we really just gonna go with this? I mean, fire’s bad for you right?_ ” Venom growled, watching Riot draw ever closer. 

“We survived once. We will survive again.” He dropped down off the side of the truck, making sure to bring the hole he was working on all the way to the bottom as he splashed into the liquid. Riot snorted as he approached. 

“Really? All this work? I don’t need my flames to fight you.” He put out the flame on his hands. “You may have gotten me once, but you won’t get me like that again.” 

Venom snarled, circling around Riot as the two squared off. “We don’t have to.” He said. “They will.” 

Riot glanced up as Fusion landed on top of the tanker. In there hands was a wad of torn posters and various clothes she’d stolen from clothes lines between the buildings nearby. Her hands caught flame and she threw the now smoldering mass into the tanker before jumping away, Venom right behind her. Riot tried to follow as the ground around him erupted, but the fumes inside the truck ignited,  causing a chain reaction of several cars nearby also exploding.

 

Fusion and Venom watched the explosions from the rooftop. Fusion was panting hard as she surveyed the fiery aftermath. “Think he survived?” She glanced at Venom who was staring intently down into the road.

“Hmm. Doubtful.” He finally spoke before giving control back to Eddie. Fusion followed suit, Solite stumbling as she tried to regain her footing. Eddie caught her.

“Hey. Hey. It’s okay.” He cooed softly, helping her sit down on a milk crate, “We survived. It’s gonna be alright.” He just held her close and did his best to help her calm down.


	17. Aftermath

Eddie stayed on the rooftop with Solite, doing everything in his power to keep her as calm and focused as he could. She was shivering, muttering softly to where Eddie couldn’t make out what she was saying; he knew she was talking to Fusion. Police and Fire Fighters swarmed the streets below as they tried to figure out what had just happened. Eddie wanted nothing more than to get them both out of here, but the only way would be down and out into the middle of it where they would undoubtedly be questioned. Letting Venom take over and jump there way to safety would bring too much attention to them as well, since Eddie had no doubt that the onlookers where telling police about the giant alien creatures who jumped away to who knows where. Eventually, he decided that heading down would be the best; at least there down there he could use his job as a reporter to try and get some information.

 

The paramedics were quick to come help Solite as Eddie brought her out the front of the building. They understood that she was going though shock and how to help her better than Eddie ever could. A cop quickly approached him as well, asking if he was alright and what he’d seen.

“ _We should eat them, Eddie. Asking too many question._ ” Eddie could hear Venom inside and tried to shake him out.

“Are you alright, son?” The cop asked, genuinely looking concerned. Eddied nodded.

“Yeah...” He spoke softly, looking around at the wreckage. “Just, trying to wrap my head around what just happened...” 

Eddie then gave a fabricated account of what happened. He explained that he was enjoying the evening air with his girlfriend, Solite, up on the roof. He told them of the sudden screeching of tires, followed by watching the hulking aliens below.

“… One landed right in front of us!” Eddie threw his arms up, trying to show off about how big he ‘thought’ the alien was. “Huge black fucker. Snarled at my girl and then jumped off after the yellow one. They went that way.” He pointed back over the buildings. “Jumped maybe… two buildings over and I lost sight of them.”

The cop nodded, thanking Eddie for his report and calling over the radio to have units begin patrolling. Eddie sighed, heading back over to Solite. 

“ _We still think we should have eaten him._ ” Venom sneered as they turned. 

Solite was sitting on the tailgate of a fire tuck, wrapped in a blanket and giving short answers to the officer questioning her. The cop sighed, shaking his head and getting up as Eddie approached. 

“Hey real quick.” Eddie reached out to stop the officer,  who turned. “If you can.. do you know… if anyone is.. dead? I saw a few guys gawking…” 

The officer sighed. “I’m not a liberty to say.” He started off, “But… yes. As you can see there has been at least one confirmed fatality.” He motioned toward an ambulance being loaded up with a person covered with a white cloth. “That’s all I can say though. You and your friend are clear to leave if you’ve both given statements. I recommend you do.” He waved them off.

 

Eddie settled down with Solite on his couch. He had walked back with her to the coffee shop to pick up his bike before taking her home, but she was too frightened to be alone. Eddie understood, and offered to let her crash at his place until she got back on her feet. Nearly as soon as they’d sat down, she was out; exhausted from the day. She was nestled up against Eddie’s side, and he couldn’t help but feel slightly endeared by her peacefulness after seeing her the last hour or so a complete wreck. He sighed softly, resting his head against the top of the cushion. “Hey, Venom… can you feel Riot anywhere?”

Venom snaked out of Eddie’s other side, growling softly. “ _No. But we couldn’t feel him before and he still attacked.”_

“ _We cannot feel him either._ ” Eddie jumped a bit as Fusion’s head extended from Solite’s shoulder. “ _We are connected and we would know, no matter how little is left.”_ Eddie let out a huge sigh of relief. 

“Thank god...” He muttered softly, looking down at Solite and pushed her hair out of her face. He wrapped and arm around her, nearly knocking Fusion down in the process before quickly beginning to nod off himself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: 10/20 Thanks to everyone who responded~!
> 
> Hey everyone! So this basically wraps up the first arc I had planed. I'll be take a few days off for Soul Calibur (I've been waiting 6 year... this one had better be good), but I wanted your opinions about something going forward!
> 
> I could continue the story here, continuing to add too it. Or I could make each arc their own 'story' and make it part of a series. Now, the arc's would each be roughly this long, maybe longer depending on how much I have planned out for them. And they'll start moving away from the Movie universe and start falling more in line with the comics. There will also be some other Marvel series coming into play. I've had planned to bring the X-men in since I decided to make Solite a mutant, and if you're an X-men fan, you may have noticed a nod to one of their own villains in the prologue. 
> 
> So please, drop a comment and let me know if you'd rather see the story continue here, or if you'd like to see each arc as it's own story within the Entanglement Series.
> 
> Also, I have a tumblr page set up for this story! Right now, it's mostly Venom Reblogs, but I'd love to hear from you all there. 
> 
> https://theentanglement.tumblr.com/
> 
> ~GloStix


	18. A2: Vacation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I know I said I was going to take a few days off, but it was harder than I expected not to write. So, here we go! Also, for simplicity sake, going forward each 'arc' will be titled with A (for arc) and a number to dictate which arc it's for. This is in case I ever feel the need to go back and break things up. It is simply for housekeeping. I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> ~GloStix

It had been a little more than a month since Eddie and Solite fought off Riot. In that time, she had come to stay more and more at his place. At first it was because she was scared, but now it seemed like she genuinely enjoyed the company. Eddie was tentative to call them a couple, since he knew deep down he still had feelings for Anne, but it was hard to argue that they weren’t. Going out to eat together, spending the night at each other’s place, occasionally stopping the odd small crime with their symbiotes. Even Venom seemed to be warming to the idea of them as a couple. He use to remind Eddie near constantly that they were trying to get Anne back, but now he would get excited to spend time with Fusion. He had even become more protective of her, growing agitated at anything he perceived as a threat. So, as far as Eddie was concerned, the four of them were the word’s strange coupling.

 

In the time sense the fight, Eddie had decided to take on some freelance reporter. A small online new source had taken to calling him near constantly to work on articles. They mostly covered ‘Heroics’ and ‘Villainous attacks’. There were always greatly exaggerated, covering the antics of mostly New York based heroes, but they were actively looking for more news from the West Coast. He didn’t find it ideal, but it helped keep a roof over his head and food in two bellies he was obligated to feel and the other two he enjoyed caring for.

This new job had called him up yet again. Their offer was far from what Eddie was expecting. They’d asked him a few time to cover the ‘Alien Menace’ that was popping up in San Francisco, but now they claimed to have something big; they also claimed Eddie was the only reporter in the area and asked him to cover it.

What did they had in mind? Well, apparently they had it on good word that the Avengers were branching out; working on establishing a presence near Los Angles at Venice Beach. And even more surprisingly, this new group of heroes was going to be the focal point of a reality TV show. They couldn’t say who was on the team, only that it was being coached by one of the ‘Big guys’ who helped out on the early team. All they wanted was for him to head out there, spend a week with them, and report back on who the team was made up of, and what to expect out of the new TV show. They promised it would be an easy piece that would write itself. Eddie wasn’t sure of that, but did like the idea of getting out of town for a while. Solite eagerly agreed; they could use a change of scenery. So they rented a car, packed up enough to get by, hopped on the I-5, and headed south to enjoy what they hoped would be a relaxing week.

 

The ride was going to be a long one, but time seemed to move quickly. It didn’t take much for Solite to get the symbiotes into a game of I Spy, only the promise of chocolate bites if they got it correct. Beside that they spend the day singing badly to the radio and enjoying what little scenery there was. They stopped twice to stretch their legs and grab a bite, before finally arriving right after sundown.

“We should head to the hotel” Solite said with a yawn. “I’m tired of being in a car.”

“ _We agree._ ” Fusion hissed as they poked their head around the head rest. “ _We’re growing hungry._ ”

“Yeah, but let’s make one stop. Real quick.” Eddie nodded. “The office of these ‘West Coast Avengers’ isn’t too far out of the way. We’ll swing by, introduce ourselves, and then go grab some grub. Sound good?” Solite sighed, but nodded. She was a fan of the Avengers, and eager to meet this team promising to protect the west coast.  Eddie smiled, pulling  up to a gray brick building.

There was one single door that he could see. A small sign had been taped to the front. It looked hand-written. ‘West Coast Avengers. Serious Inquiries Only’. Eddie glanced at Solite as they got out. 

“Looks kinda run down...” He mentioned as they approached the door. There were lights on behind the frosted glass, but he couldn’t hear anything and the door was locked. He knocked loudly, several times, before waiting. 

He had several assumptions about who would be on this team. Gruff old school heroes, mercenaries and villains trying to go straight. People who possessed powers trying their best to follow in the footsteps of their idols. Eddie was not, however, expecting what was waiting for him on the other side of the door.


	19. A2: Meet the Team

Eddie knocked again as he looked to Solite. Inside he could hear a dog barking, and someone yelling, but he couldn’t make out what they were saying. Finally, the latch turned and a young woman answered the door.

“America, I swear if you…. Oh. Hello….” She looked genuinely surprised to see Eddie and Solite standing at the door. She looked to be about 20, black hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. Her purple body suit had only one full sleeve and seemed to be full of holes.

“Um...” Eddie cleared his throat, “Is this the headquarters of the West Coast Avengers?” The girl nodded and Eddie continued. “Ah, good. I’m Eddie Brock, from HerosFeed.” The girl groaned.

“Right. The reporter… I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow…” She ran her hand though her short bangs. “Well, come on in. I can at least introduce you to everyone tonight.” She beckoned them in.

 

Inside, the place was pretty barren. A single couch covered in a painter’s tarp sat in the waiting area, a large flat screen TV hung across from it. There’s was a desk covered as well. A miss-matched set of steel folding and wooden chairs sat around a card table near a small kitchenette. Boxes where pushed up against nearly ever wall. On the couch, a blond girl with pink tips slept; face buried into a pillow while her pink and white tactical boots, which matched her bodysuit, hanging over the arm rest. On a chair in the kitchenette, an older blond haired man snoozed as well.

“Well… It’s not much.” Their guide said as they both entered. “But it’s home. I’m Kate Bishop, also known as Hawkeye.”

“But… Isn’t that Hawkeye?” Solite pointed to the sleeping man. Eddie hadn’t noticed at first, but he sure was. He still had his archery glove and arm guard on. His bow was hanging neatly on the wall next to a slightly smaller one. Kate gave an exasperated sigh.

“Well, You’re not wrong. Yes. That’s Clint Barton. Also also known as Hawkeye. And yes, it does get confusing.” Eddie nodded, pulling out a palm sized note book and beginning to write as Kate continued.

“This here.” She motioned to the sleeping girl. “Is Gwendolyn Poole. Or Gwenpool if you’re short on time. And trust me, it’s better that she’s asleep right now.”

“Loose cannon?” Eddie asked, glancing up from his notes.

“You have no idea...”

 

Kate continued to show them around, not that there was much to show, before taking them to a little office in the back.

“I have three more team members on their way back with food.” Kate took a seat behind a battered office desk. “You’ll get to meet the camera crew then too. You’re shadowing use for the next week, yes?”

Eddie nodded, pulling a folded metal chair off the wall for Solite before grabbing one for himself. “Yeah. That’s the plan anyway. Sorry about the plus one. This is Solite.” Kate nodded.

“That’s fine. I’m sure they sold this as an easy gig.” Kate sat back in her large leather chair, “Which, hopefully it will be. Just… stay back with the crews if anything big comes up. Mostly we’ve been covering small things. People just trying to emulate the ‘big bads’ of New York.” She jumped as the front door slammed open, shaking the walls slightly. “And that would be the rest of my team… Come on. You should probably meet them too.”

 

Now standing in the waiting room were three fresh new faces, all equally as young looking as Kate. An athletic looking girl with a mane of black hair held up four large pizza boxes with one hand. Flanking her on either side was a boy. One side, a darker skinned boy with several face piercings and a large tribal tattoo on his left arm. He seemed to shrink slightly when he saw Eddie, as if trying to hide behind the girl. On the other side was a skinny boy with a bright pink mohawk. He didn’t hardly flinch, but locked eyes with Solite as if sizing her up. Kate pushed past the pair and over to her team.

“This,” She said motioning to the darker skinned boy. “is Johnny Watts, Or Fuse. And this..” She was cut off by the pink haired boy.

“I’m Quentin Quire. Kid Omega. X-men member, THE most power telepath. I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of me.” Quentin puffed his chest out as Eddie looked to Kate.

“...Anyway….” Kate continued ans Quentin glared at them for his lack of recognition. “As I was saying. This is America Chavez. No alias.” America extended her free hand toward Eddie.

“New clients?” She asked as Eddie shook it.

“No.” He responded quickly. “I’m a reporter. We should get out of your hair. It’s been a long day for us and I’m sure you would like to enjoy your dinner… We’ll see you tomorrow.” He quickly escorted Solite around them and back out to the car.


	20. A2: Secrets

America stared blankly at the door as Eddie and Solite started up their car and headed off. Quentin snorted, taking one of the pizza boxes and going to sit down on the couch next to Gwen.

“Well...” Gwen said as she snagged a slice of supreme from Quentin. “They seemed nice.”

“Yeah.” America grumbles as she set the other boxes down on the table. “Nice and rude.” Kate sighed softly, going to let the best dog, Lucky the Golden Retriever, out of the bathroom where she placed him.

“Guys, Come on.” She sighed as the rambunctious dog immediately when to beg pizza from Gwen. “They’re just here to follow us around for a week and then they’ll be gone. They probably had no idea what they were getting into when they agreed to this.” Quentin laughed between bites of his pizza, wiping his mouth on the sleeve of his punk-rock jacket.

“Nah.” He adjusted his glasses in an anime-esque style. “They’re hiding something. They both are.”

“What gives you that impression?” Gwen asked, tossing a piece of sausage to Lucky.

“Because I _tired_ to read their minds.” Quentin crosses his arms behind his head looking proud of himself. America didn’t look so amused.

“Okay, for one. Boundaries.” She said, grabbing a stack of paper plates. “I think they would have beaten that into you at the Xavier Institute. And two, you put too much emphasis on tried.”

“Yeah. Because some-THING kept me from it.” Quentin crossed his arm in a haughty manor across his chest. “Each one felt different. With the guy, the so-called reporter, it was pure muscle. It was like trying to mind-read Logan. Doable with some time, but something besides him didn’t want me in there.”

“And the girl?” Kate was resting against the counter in the kitchenette. She didn’t want to admit it, but she was inclined to believe Quentin. Something about those two had seemed off, she just couldn’t figure out what. Quentin shrugged and continued.

“It was more familiar. It felt like another telepath. One not nearly as practiced as me, but with a considerable strength.” He frowned, tapping his forehead in thought. “Either way, there was something that was keeping me from getting purchase in their minds. I’m not sure they’re who they’re claiming to be.”

 

 

“They’re just kids...” Eddie said as he flopped out on the bed at their slightly less than four star accommodations. He buried his head in his pillow. “They’re just kids!” Solite sighed, sitting on the bed next to him and opening up a Tupperware container full of brain mush and chocolate.

“I know, Eddie… but they probably all have powers of some sort. And they’re being guided by the original Hawkeye. Everyone has to start out somewhere.” She gently patted his back as Venom snaked out from his neck to take a tongue full of mush.

“ _The Omega one. We need to watch out for._ ” He hisses as Fusion worked her way around Solite to try and mussel in for some brains as well. 

“ _Yes._ ” She growled, snapping at Venom’s tongue as she went for a bite. “ _He tried to read us. We kept him at bay, but he is strong._ ” 

Solite sighed, setting the Tupperware between her and Eddie so the symbiotes could eat. 

“I remember hearing about him a few years ago…” She said, scratching her chin in thought. “He attacked some sort of conference in Switzerland and was labeled a terrorist. Last I’d heard he was under the care of S.H.I.E.L.D.”

Eddie grumbled, rolling over and nearly crushing Venom in doing so as he stared up at the ceiling. 

“So… we have a group of kids playing hero...” He mused. “And one of them is a known terrorist… Great… this is just… great.” He sat up, staring at his feet. “And here I thought this would be an easy job.”


	21. A2: Giant Woman

Eddie and Solite met up with the West Coast Avengers early the next morning. The TV crew was already set up, ready to follow them for a day of patrolling. They already knew about Eddie; after all, their producer was the one who reached out for a reporter. They filled Eddie in on what would be going on. Mostly small stuff, hoping that he’d get the chance to really see the team in action. They also made them both sign a waiver stating that they wouldn’t sue should bodily harm come to them. After the legal stuff was out of the way, they set out to the Santa Monica pier for some patrolling.

 

Solite fit in surprisingly well with the team, while Eddie mingled with the film crew. Quentin kept trying to lay into her hard, shooting Solite question after question until eventually Kate told him to lay off. Johnny—Fuse—wandered in the back of the pack, closer to the film crew.

“Man, Quentin really needs to back off...” He said with a sigh. Eddie frowned.

“Yeah. What’s his deal anyway?” Eddie glanced at Gwen while she bounced from shop to shop ogling the goods being sold.

“Well, We were hurting for money and he came to join with a package deal.” Fuse shook his head. “We let him on and the film crew helps pay us to get set up. Also, apparently the royalties are going to be ‘lit’?”

“No.” Eddie glanced back to Fuse. “I mean what’s his deal with grilling Solite? I thought I was the reporter here.”

“OH! That...” Fuse shifted and rubbed his head. “Well, apparently he thinks she’s hiding something? I don’t know why… I think he believes she’s a mutant.”

“Because she is!” Quentin yelled back at them.

“Is this true?” America moved between Quentin and Solite, who was looking a bit distressed.

“Well...” Solite sighed softly. “Yes. I am. I am a telepath as well. I just… I don’t want everyone on Earth to know.”

Gwen bounded back to the group. “That’s fine!” She smiled, throwing her arms around both America and Solite. “Your secret is safe with our indifference! Honestly, several of us are technically mutants too!”

“You wish you were mutants.” Quentin sneered as the ground suddenly shook.

Out in the water, a hump of water started to form until a large orange woman crested out. Long red orange hair was plastered to her tiger striped shoulders as she continued to rise out, towering over the ferris wheel on the pier. Clint rushed to the front of the group, bow already pulled out and ready.

“TIGRA?!” He cried out in confusion.

“This is bad...” Kate was right there next to him, her bow out as well. “We need to stop her before she gets to the pier.” She looked back to Solite. “Stay with the crew! We can’t have you getting hurt, powers or no. Everyone else, with me!” She charged forward, Clint close behind. Fuse and Gwen followed after her on foot while Quentin and America took to the sky, flying ahead rather quickly.

 

It didn’t take long for Tigra to make short work of the team. Still being fairly new, they lacked the organization other groups like the Avengers had. Clint and Kate had climbed up the ferris wheel to get better shots, Gwen was trying her best to slow the giant cat woman up with what looked to be large globs of bright pink bubble gum. Quentin and America were flying around her head like gnats, doing little more than annoy her. Fuse was on the pier doing his best to herd the masses of terrified civilians away form the danger.

“ _Eddie...”_ Eddie could hear Venom’s voice hiss in his ear. “ _We should help...”_

_“_ No...” Eddie muttered softly while the crew scrambled to avoid being hit as Quentin came flying back, slamming into the ground. “We need to stay hidden… We’re not here to get involved.” 

“ _Then what about Them?_ ” Eddie glanced toward the fight and saw Fusion, having full control, actually flying toward the group. 

Quentin pushed himself out of the rubble, rubbing at a wound on his head. “I KNEW IT!” He cried. He jumped to his feet and got into Eddie’s face. “You’re not gonna help? You’re just gonna sit back here? Pussy.” He muttered under his breath and took off after Fusion. Venom cackled in Eddie’s ear as Eddie cursed his luck and let his other take over, bounding off to the join the combat. 


	22. Halloween 2018 Special

October 31st. Halloween. One of the best days of the year for a child, not so much for a broke reporter living with an alien symbiote inside himself. Eddie wasn’t sure what to do with himself. On one hand, there would be plenty of news to report the next day of all the stupid antics the more child-minded adults got into, but there was also the added fact that he had to keep Venom in check. Solite had been more than helpful with that aspect, but Eddie was still learning. The brain chocolate mush had done wonders with helping keep Venom’s more blood thirsty side in check but, as he often told Eddie, it wasn’t a good substitute for the real thing.

 

It was around noon the on Halloween’s eve when Solite called Eddie up at work. It was rare, but not completely uncommon for her to do such things. Eddie sighed, sitting back and closing his computer before answering. “Hello?”

“Hey!” Solite’s bubbly voice answered from the other end. “What are your plans tomorrow?” Eddie laughed. Plans? He was in his thirties and childless, ‘why would I have plans on Halloween?’ he thought.

“Nothing really...” he answered after a moment. “Maybe rent a scary movie. I was thinking… Slither? You want to come over?”

“Well, that doesn’t sound bad as a way to wind down.” She responded, the noises of the cafe barely audible in the background. “But I was thinking… this is Venom’s first Halloween right? Let’s go trick-or-treating.”

“You’re kidding me right?” Eddie laughed and was met with dead silence. “You’re not kidding… where would we even go?”

“There’s a collage not far from here that does adult trick-or-treat. They have candy and little bottles of alcohol. It’s suppose to just before the students, but I still have my student ID, so we can get in.”

“What would I even dress up as?” Eddie asked, pinching the bridge of his nose and unable to believe he was even considering this.

“You have the world’s best costume and you have to ask what you’d dress up as?” Solite laughed. “Seriously, Eddie, don’t be so sacred of Venom. Let him out and have some fun.”

“Alright, alright…” Eddie sighed in defeat. “Where should we meet up?”

“Just swing by the cafe when you get off. It’ll be fun, I promise. Fusion will help keep Venom in check.” She hung up and Eddie shook his head. Fusion better. Otherwise things might get bloody.

 

The rest of the day Venom spent pestering Eddie about what ‘Trick-or-Treating’ was. Once Eddie finally explained it, he could feel his symbiote getting riled up. He was excited, bouncing around inside Eddie like a hyper child told to stay in their seat. The next day was much of the same excited energy coming from the symbiote, especially on their way to meet up with the others.

As Eddie walked up to the cafe, he could see Solite sitting out front in a tattered witch’s dress with a wide brimmed hat sitting on her frizzy hair.

“I thought you said we’d be going as our others?” Eddie said as he approached. Solite smiled warmly.

“I did, but I’m not dumb enough either to let Fusion take over while I’m at work. Drunk collage kids are one thing, moody office workers are another.” She stood up, adjusting her hat and offering her arm. “Shall we getting going?” Eddie sighed, smiling slightly and taking her arm as they walked.

“You know...” She said as they made their way out toward the campus. “With that old dirty hoodie you like so much, you could easily be dressed as a bum.”

“Naw.” Eddie laughed. “If anyone asks I’m going to tell him I’m dressed as a ‘Flordia man’.”

“You mean the notorious crazy people who live out in the wonderful world of retirement and is _always_ on the news?” 

“That’s the one.” Eddie laughed again, smiling at Solite as they made their way off. 

 

Security was extremely lax around the campus, just like Solite had said. There were a few people who asked to see ID, and took Solite’s at face value. They didn’t question Eddie, supposing that he was just her date, a friend, or maybe they were even familiar with him as a reporter and didn’t care that he was there.  After walking in a few blocks, she pulled Eddie off between two houses. “Okay, we should be in the clear now. Make sure Venom follows Fusion. We’ll hit the Greek houses, they tend to be so drunk they don’t care who shows up.”

Eddie nodded, he still wasn’t so sure about this all, but it seemed that Solite was pretty confident about letting the symbiote’s out here. So, he did as he was told and let Venom take over. The large black symbiote flexed and took in a deep breath, glad to be given some freedom as he looked down at the smaller yellow symbiote in front of him. 

“Come.” Fusion beckoned,  peaking around the corner of the house. “The first stop is not far. They have large candy bars and have been our favorite stop for years.” Venom growled softly, but followed, lumbering behind his guide.

 

The house Fusion led him to was large, with pealing paint and chipped sidewalks. Despite there being a plethora of cars in front and all the lights on inside, there was no sound coming from with in. Fusion hovered at the driveway, growling softly. 

“Something is not right...” She said  as she slowly began to approach the building. “There is normally a huge party here...”

Suddenly the door flew open as a young man was shoved out onto the porch. He was battered, bloody, and scared. He scrambled back, trying to get onto his feet as he cried out.

“I swear man! We didn’t gip you! Everything was accounted for!” 

Another man stepped out of the house, his head was a flaming pumpkin and his body was adorned with a green scaled shirt with matching green pants and combat boots. 

“You’ll do best to give us what we’re owed then, lest you lose your head.” The pumpkin headed man cackled as he pulled a gun from his back and pointed it right at the other man. Venom looked to Fusion, who glanced at him and nodded. Venom bounded off, landing right in front of the pumpkin man with a snarl.

“JESUSSHIT!” The frat boy behind him screamed as he scrambled off the porch and into the hedges surrounding. The pumpkin man slowly looked up at the hulking mass of black symbiote, gun beginning to tremble. 

“What… what are you?” His voice cracked as his nervous trigger finger sent a bullet into Venom’s face, which he easily shrugged off. Fusion slowly crept up behind him, keeping low to the ground, before using her telepathy to rip the gun from his hand. 

“We...” Venom started as the man quickly turned to face Fusion before snapping back to Venom. “..ARE PISSED OFF!” 

Venom snarled and lunged at the man who ducked and took off down the porch, jumping the hedge and skittering into the backyard. Fusion snarled, taking off after him as Venom roared in anger before following suit. The pair chased the man over several fences, each time the pumpkin just barely managing to avoid their claws and teeth as he clamored over fences.  Like hounds on the sent of a rabbit, they kept pace; braying and snarling at each other when their paths of movement began to intersect. Eventually, they cornered him in a dilapidated shed behind the husk of a burned down house. They both moved into the door way, blocking his only way of escape. 

“Eddie does not think we should eat him.” Venom growled as he glared at the man before them.

“Your other allows you to eat freely of the underbelly, yet has problems with killing his man?” Fusion scoffed. “Solite wishes to tell him that he needs to get his morals straight.” 

“Listen...” The man wheezed, clearly out of breath, “I don’t know… what… you are. But, I’m not even the real Jack O’Lantern. Really!” He put his hands up to take the pumpkin head off. “It was just a costume I bought to try and scare  one of my dealers who was taking a larger cut. After this, I promise to go straight, really! I’ll move away and start a fresh new life!” The man tried to pull the head off, but it wouldn’t budge. Fusion looked unfazed as she glanced at Venom. 

“They have a saying here… it’s best not to play with your food.” She smiled wide as her tongue lulled out of her mouth.

 

Eddie and Solite walked back around the side of the frat house as two other boys worked on pulling their bused brother out of the hedges. “Hey!” They called out. “You two! Have you seen a giant black Hulk chasing after a pumpkin headed jerk?” Eddie glanced up at them and shook his head.

“Nah. Can’t say I have.” He stopped for a moment. “But I wouldn’t worry about that guy anymore.” He gave a wave and walked after Solite deeper into the campus neighborhood. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween! Stay safe everyone!
> 
> The West Coast Chaos arc will continue on Friday
> 
> ~GloStixDix


	23. A2: B.R.O...

Kate and Clint stood together in a basket on the ferris wheel, trying in vein to get the giant Tigra before them to return to wherever it was she’d come from. Their arrows seemed to do nothing to her though, simply bouncing off her fur or sticking in with the annoyance of a mosquito. Kate knew they didn’t have too much longer they could just fire away, after all their quivers only held a finite amount.

“What that...fuck...” She heard Clint mutter. Her eyes followed along his arrow to see the bounding black mass of Venom beginning to claw his way up Tigra’s leg. “Is that a friendly?” He looked to Kate who shrugged. She’d never seen anything like that before in her life. A moment later, a rush of yellow shot past them, rocking the basket. Fusion was getting up into Tigra’s face, flying around with America and trying to distract the large feline. Kate had to figure out what was going on. She focused, mentally reaching out to try and reach Quentin.

“ _Quire!”_ She practally screamed in her mind. “ _Do you know what the hell these things are?!”_

“ _Jesus Kate,”_ Quentin responded. “ _You don’t have to yell. And yes, I do. Also, everyone can hear you right now. Even them.”_ Kate paled a bit at the thought of being inside the minds of whatever just showed up to help out.

_“We are Venom_ .” Venom responded, stopping on Tigra’s midsection to glance back toward her.

“ _Oh, lovely. So you’re both called Venom? Or is that… what you are?_ ” Kate had to sit down to focus on what was going on. This was absolutely ridiculous in her opinion. 

“ _They are Venom. We are Fusion._ ” Another voice chimed in, Kate could only assume it being the voice of the other creature. 

“ _Okay, Great. So those are your names. Well, I still can’t tell you apart from here so… Don’t kill Tigra, just try to get her to turn around. Okay? Okay._ ” This had to just be some  nightmare, Kate thought to herself, there was no way in hell this was real. Giant Woman? Weird goo creatures? What’s next? She shook it off, grabbing her bow and going back to trying to fend off Tigra.

What was next was a large, shirtless man with a slightly too large for his body head descending from the clouds. With a body like an Adonis and hair that would make Fabio jealous, there was no way in hell that what Kate was seeing was real. 

“Fear not citizens of Santa Monica Pier!” He cried out, raising his arms up. “For I! B.R.O.D.O.K.--The Bio-Robotic Organism Designed Overwhelmingly for Kissing-- will save you from this terror!” America and Fusion flew over to the bucket Kate and Clint were currently in, America carrying Johnny by his arms. Quentin joined them after a moment, carrying Gwen in a similar fashion as Venom leapt down off Tigra and began picking his way up until he clung to the side. 

“Friend of yours?” Kate looked at the two aliens.  Venom shook his head and looked to Fusion, who simply shrugged. 

“Great...” Kate continued. “Well, if this is a dream, at least it seems we’re all having it together.” 

The one designated as B.R.O.D.O.K. flew up into Tigra’s face using rockets seemingly built into his feet. To far away to hear what was being said, the group watched in surprise as Tigra simply turned and began walking back into the ocean. 

“Okay...” America moved closer to that Johnny could climb into the basket with the other, nearly stepping on Venom as he did so. “Anyone else want to go down there and talk to this nutjob?” Kate gave a nod and America opened up a giant blue star shaped portal. She punched though it to active it’s power and one by one the group jumped though until they were all standing on the beach; watching as B.R.O.D.O.K. descended toward them. 

“Can anyone get a read on this guy?” Clint asked, an arrow still nocked into his bow. 

“ No.” Fusion and Quentin both answered at the same time, then exchanged an annoyed look.

“He has some kind of mental block up.” Quentin continued. 

“It is not natural.” Fusion added. 

“Well,” Kate sighed. “He did say he was bio-robotic. Guess that’s part of the robotics...” She turned to look at Venom and Fusion. “Who the hell are you two anyway? And I know, one of you is Venom and the other is Fusion. But...I guess WHAT are you would be a better question.” 

“The reporter and his girlfriend.” Quentin pointed to Venom and Fusion respectively. “I told you they were hiding something.” 

“Can you gloat later?” America asked, her body tensing up as B.R.O.D.O.K. landed on the sands. “We have bigger fish to fry.” 


	24. A2: A story of Love

What transpired on the beach was mostly a stand off. B.R.O.D.O.K. descended and then for several tense moments they all stood in silence. Eventually Venom broke the tension by suggested that they eat the man before them. Fusion got up in his face and began arguing that only a ‘brutish warrior’ would first think of eating any problem that came before them.

“Aliens!” B.R.O.D.O.K. threw his arms open and approached them, pushing past the others to get a better look at the symbiote pair. “Are you two from the same species? A male and female?” He gasped. “A _mated pair_?!” 

Fusion glanced the big-headed man up and down, giving a low growl and seeming to reconsider her stance on eating random people. 

“No….” Venom growled out, pushing the smaller  yellow  alien behind himself.

“Ah.” B.R.O.D.O.K. said with a laugh. “Could have fooled me. The way you two bicker… you must care deeply for each other.” He turned around with a dramatic sigh. “Though, I suppose it would happen—the formation of a close bond—being stuck on some foreign planet with only each other. What a love story this will turn out to be!” He exclaimed. 

“ Yeah!” Gwen joined in. “It would be if the author would get off their ass and actually post according to their schedule!” Everyone looked at her like she was insane. 

“Anyway...”  Kate cleared her throat. “Thank you for the help, would you like to come back to our HQ? It’s a little better for talking than out here on the pier.” She motioned to the group of people beginning to crowd around them. 

 

Back at the HQ, the air was only marginally less tense. B.R.O.D.O.K. rattled off his tale about how he created Advanced Image Mechanics with the intent of letting others discover their true selves while he himself desperately searched for love, only to be met with rejection time and again. Kate didn’t believe a word of it. She had that feeling in her gut that this guy was actually M.O.D.O.K. in disguise and that he was playing at something. 

Eddie, however, didn’t care who or what B.R.O.D.O.K was; he just wanted to leave. But, for some reason, he stuck around. He guessed that there was suppose to be some kind of debriefing after a big super hero fight or something, but instead they all clustered in the waiting room and were talking about watching a movie. Quentin seemed to have taken an interest in Solite, the pair standing off to the side and talking while B.R.O.D.O.K. prattled on about his quest for love. Eddie slowly inched closer to them, trying to figure out what they were talking about. 

“So you’re saying that your alien—your Symboite—actually  _boosts_ your mutation?” Quentin had a devious look in his eye as he watched Solite nod slowly. “Say… you would mind letting me… borrow them would you?” 

“It doesn’t work like that...” Solite’s voice was soft and low. “They have to choose who they bond with. If they don’t want to bond with you, they’ll just eat you from the inside out.”  She shook her head. “Now, what was this you were saying about a school for mutants?”

“Oh, you mean the Xavier school and mutant outreach center.” Quentin put his hands behind his head and snorted. “It’s a dump. I don’t recommend it at all. -5 out of 7 stars.” He glanced at Gwen as she supported B.R.O.D.O.K.’s suggestion of watching  _Weekend at Bernie's II._ Eddie then noticed that Kate was no longer anyway to be found, and neither was Clint. He took this moment to gently grab Solite’s arm and suggest that they leave before getting wrapped up in babysitting a gaggle of super-hero teenagers. 


	25. A2: When Giant Women Attack

Eddie awoke the next morning to tremors. It wasn’t that he was shaking, but that the whole hotel was. At first, he thought it was just an earthquake, but then he felt another. It felt more like...footsteps. He flicked on the news and saw that a small army of giant women were attacking the city.   
“Shit...” He muttered, still trying to rub the sleep from his eyes. “Solite…. We need to get back to the pier… I get the feeling that Kate and the others are going to need our help.”

 

The pair quickly got dressed and sped out to the Santa Monica Pier as quickly as they could get through the throngs of cars trying to both get to work, and those trying get a closer look at the destruction. After what felt like an hour’s ride, the pair arrived. Quentin had already taken out the one they’d fought the day before, the giant cat woman named Tigra, but at least five others were wrecking havoc across the shoreline. Eddie felt his other take over, launching them out into the fray and sniffing out Kate. Solite’s other did the same, floating gracefully behind him since she picked up the psionic flying trick from watching Quentin.

“What’s going on?” Venom growled as he perched on top of a rubble pile that seemed to once be the side of the West Coast Avenger’s Headquarters.

“ _What’s going on_?” Kate scoffed. “Giant women are attacking the boardwalk! Can’t you see?! Don’t tell me those big white things on your head are just for show!” She glanced up, letting an arrow fly as Venom narrowed his eyes and hissed. “Sorry… It’s been a crappy morning. You want to help? Keep these women from turning this into a junk pile.” Venom sneered, but took off after the nearest one; a larger seemly fish like woman.

 

Fusion paired up with America and Quentin, who were attempting to chasing down a large green she-dragon. As the dragon turned and let loose a gout of flames Fusion’s yellow skin flickered to life, producing her own flame to protect her from the heat. The symboite then streaked across the sky as she gave chase, but was suddenly blind sided by a much smaller target. B.R.O.D.O.K. being ridding like a horse by Gwenpool who was doing her best to keep from falling.

“Hey Fusion!” She cheerily called out while pulling at B.R.O.D.O.K.’s head. “Care to help me unmask this evil villain?” Suddenly, Gwen was falling. B.R.O.D.O.K. had managed to push her off using some kind of goo jets on his back. While Fusion floated, trying to figure out if Gwen was capable of saving herself, the symbiote suddenly felt as if they were coming apart.

 

A loud high wine echoed though the area, reverberating windows and shaking the already damaged buildings. One of the giant women was some sort of wasp like creature, and apparently it had the ability to unleash a sonic attack at just the right frequency to royally fuck with symbiotes. On the street Venom was clutching his head, crying out in anguish as he tried to keep himself from literally splitting apart at the seams. As the sonic cry faded, the large black symbiote felt himself stabilize. Fusion was not as lucky. Being the focus of the attack, and caught in the middle of it with little to brace herself on, the symbiote had separated from it’s host. And Solite was now free-falling toward the streets of Los Angeles.


	26. Christmas 2018 Special

Eddie sat solemnly on his stool at his favorite bar near the Tenderloin in San Francisco. It wasn’t a nice place, but it was where he came when he wanted to be as alone. At least as alone as he could get with Venom now sharing his headspace. The thought of Christmas was hanging in his mind like the half-assed decorations currently hanging around the bar. He hadn’t done a proper Christmas since living with Anne. But even than, he hadn’t ever put much effort into it. She seemed to like whatever he had gotten her, or just flat out told him he’d ‘already bought her gift’; meaning that she’d used his credit card to get herself what she wanted.

 

Now he had to actually think about it. Would it be right to get Venom something? And how on earth was he suppose to keep it a secret? And what about the other bonded pair, Solite and Fusion? They had helped him learn how to live with a symbiote. With them around, he felt more like he could handle whatever would be thrown at him and his other. What would he even get them? He wasn’t dating Solite, although everyone at both of their jobs would swear otherwise; and Venom wasn’t particularly interested in Fusion in that sense either, although they had ‘hooked up’ by symbiote standards. Should he just get them a gift card? No, too impersonal. Clothes? He wasn’t even sure what sized Solite wore. Flowers and chocolate? Chocolate wasn’t a bad idea, since the symbiotes seemed to enjoy the stuff, but he decided flowers were too mushy. Anne’s discarded engagement ring? Hell fucking no. That was for Anne. He decided he’d just get them a card. ‘To you and yours from me and mine.’ It was the thought that matter after all, wasn’t it?

 

Eddie stepped out of the bar and into the cold night. The salty air from the bay chilled him to the bone as he walked back toward his apartment. He toyed around with other gift ideas along the way. A stuffed animal? Solite wasn’t a high schooler, although she looked and acted like it sometimes. Some sort of art piece or decoration? That might not be too bad, but her apartment was rather barren and he worried that anything he got might not fit in anywhere. Dinner at a place of her choosing? That he could do. They’d gone out to eat several times before, and besides the one time Anne dropped in on them it was never awkward. Okay, having Venom constantly whispering in his ear to remember about getting Anne back was awkward, but Eddie was sure that that ship had long since sailed anyway. Anne was happy with Dan, and Eddie would rather not put her in the way of any more symbiote shenanigans.

 

Eddie gathered up his mail and walked up to his unit. He hadn’t decorated for the holidays, but had remembered to stock up on food and the such before the mad rush that was likely to hit. Several alcohol bottles with special seasonal labels lined his counter. Other than those, the holiday cards were the only indication of the season. Generic one from work, one from his old job where his ex-boss calls him a genius asshole, one from Kasady who was still locked behind bars, and one from Anne with Dan and Mr. Belvedere all in matching sweaters with reindeer headbands on. Eddie wondered to himself if next year he might be able to get Venom to pose for a holiday card with such a stupid getup.

 

Before he could ponder that any further, a flash of color caught his eye out on the fire escape. It was gone in an instant, but he could swear that he saw a quick flash of cream yellow. He set his mail down and went to open the window. Outside on the rusted metal was a brightly wrapped, slightly large box topped off with a big ribbon and a note.

“From ours to yours. Stop dressing like such a bum. ~S&F.” It read with a little smiley face sticking a tongue out in golden yellow gel pen for added effect. Eddie picked it up and brought it inside. Venom had snaked out of his shoulder by now.

“ _What is it.”_ He asked _,_ head bobbing as Eddie moved.

“It’s a Christmas present.” Eddie responded, forgetting that this would be Venom’s first Christmas. Shit, did he need to get an ornament to commemorate that? And a tree to put said ornament on? “It’s a gift to tell someone thank you for being around...”

“ _What’s inside?_ ” Venom sneered. 

“We don’t know. That’s the point. We open it and find out.” Eddie pulled the bow off and started working his way though the wrapping paper. Upon opening the box he was hit with the smell of well oiled leather. Tossing aside the tissue paper which concealed the items further, he pulled out a sleek black motorcycle helmet and brand new riding jacket. Under that was folded a replica of his favorite hoodie, minus all the bloodstains and holes, as well as a giant chocolate bar and fresh container of mashed pig’s brain. As Eddie sat in his chair running his hands over the stitching of his new jacket, he could hear Venom whisper into his ear.

 

_“Eddie… I think we should_ _do more than just dinner_ _...”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays everyone! 
> 
> The Main story will Resume on the 30th and be updated Every Sunday after that!
> 
> ~GloStixDix


	27. A2: Plans

“No!” Venom cried out, his muscles coiling tightly as he launched himself up at the falling Solite. He managed to catch her, and then himself on a the side of a building. She was woozy, eyes blinking back the darkness of unconscious, but otherwise seemed fine. However, Venom could not sense Fusion within her. He looked frantically around, his normal toothy smile curved into a worried frown. He hadn’t seen the other symbiote falling, but they couldn’t have gotten far. He tried to focus, but found it hard with everything going on. Without their host, there was no telling how long Fusion would be able to last.

“ _Hopefully…._ ” He could hear Eddie within his mind, picking up on Venom’s concern, “ _They managed to find someone to connect with for now._ ” Venom hated this, but his other was right. They had bigger things to worry about, and Fusion was resourceful; they’d survived odds much tougher than this. Cradling Solite, he bounded off the wall and over to where Quentin had begun to gather up bystanders. “Protect her!” He boomed before bounding back off after the nearest attacker. 

 

Quentin was less than thrilled to be playing babysitter to a bunch of non-powered, gawking, little minded bystanders, and was even less so to be told what to do by a non-earth being. He peered into her mind. Not blocked this time by Fusion’s presence, and helped clear the fog. Solite shook herself and stood up, rubbing her head.

“Good. You’re up.” Quentin sneered, snorting as he crossed his arms. “Are you  _completely_ incomp ete nt without your little friend? Or can you at least do  _something_ ?” 

“ I-I’m...” Solite stuttered, still a little shaken from the sonic attack and subsequent free-fall. “I’m still a telepath. Fusion just helps me amply it. Two minds you know...”

“I do.” Quentin said as he grabbed her wrist. “Because I to use yours to help me shut these women down.”

 

Fuse screamed as he picked up a large piece of rubble, trying to help free trapped bystanders, and something warm and fleshy wrapped around his wrist. He flung what use to be the side of a building aside and watched as a yellow-white mass clung to his wrist, withering and convulsing as tendrils began to snake up his body.

_“Johnny….Watts….”_ A voice echoed in his mind. One he’d heard before… Fusion’s. “ _You are a mutant… yes?_ ” 

Fuse stared at the mass handing from his wrist and nodded slowly. “Are you… okay?” He asked, his voice cracking every so slightly in fear.

“ _No..._ ” Fusion responded. “ _We have lost our host. Will you grant us refuge until we can find Solite again? We will grant you powers you have only dreamed of._ ”

Fuse squeaked softly. This was way more than he had ever bargained for. He stammered a few times, unable to really get any words out.

_“Hurry… We are dying...”_ Fusion cooed, allowing a few of their tendrils to begin to limply fall away from his arm. 

 

 

“O-Okay!”


	28. A2: Two become One

Johnny “Fuse” Watts felt his heart leap into his throat as the yellow alien wrapped around his wrist suddenly sprung to life, racing up his arm and nestling itself into the center of his chest. There was no pain, just a pressure and a pop in his ears before everything seemed to return to normal. He patted the front of himself. There were no tears in his shirt, it wasn’t even wet, yet Fusion was gone.

“ _Ahhhh_...” he heard their voice inside his head. “ _We had forgotten what having a_ _n_ _inexperienced_ _host was like. One who is scared for what the future holds. Truly scare...”_

Johnny looked frantically around. Aside from the group of bystanders he’d just helped rescue, who where making their way toward the safety of the local law officers, he was alone.

“Where…?” He asked, his voice trialing off as Fusion’s echoed in his head again.

_“We are curled in the small spaces with in you. Between your heart and lungs, wrapped around your stomach, stretching ourselves_ _out into every muscle fiber and every cell. And let us tell you… the adrenaline flooding through your veins is delicious.”_

“I… I need that...” Johnny’s voice squeaked.

“ _No, Johnny. It is no longer ‘I’. It is we. And I will give you power much greater than what your Earth-bound chemicals can create.”_

 

Suddenly Johnny felt himself being wrapped, cocooned in a jelly like fluid. He instinctively shut his eyes to keep whatever it was from getting into them. It was warm, and held him snugly in place. He felt his arms raise and his hands flex, although he was sure he wasn’t raising them. He realized he’d been holding his breath the entire time and choked for air.

“ _Breath..._ ” Fusion’s voice echoed around him, reverberating in the walls of whatever was holding him in place. He tentatively took a breath and was astounded to find that he could breath normally. Slowly he opened his eyes. His vision became slightly clouded, like looking at the world though a thin sheet of cloth or hazy glass. He could see what should have been his hands, but they were instead large, clawed, and yellow.

“ _The power you possess is unlike anything we have experienced before...”_ The yellow hands were now silvery, and appeared to be undulating as if made of fluid. _“You have been held back by your human_ _limitations_ _… Now we will show you what you are truly capable of_.” Johnny felt his body crouch on it’s own, his legs tense, and suddenly a pressing being released from the soles of his feet as the world outside was flying past at an alarming speed.

 

He was no longer Fuse. Now he was Fusion.


	29. A2: Back to work

Kate was not liking this, not one bit. Quire said he had some grand plan that would require him to link minds with Solite. Alright, whatever, telepaths are weird. But right before he went silent to ‘concentrate’ Quire had said that he’d lost contact with Fuse. That was the part she didn’t like. And as much as she wanted to go and find him, right now there were still several giant woman baring down on the beach she had to deal with. She felt the rubble pile she was firing from shake, heard the footed thud, and felt the presence of what she assumed to be Venom behind her.

“Jesus, do I have to instruct you to do everything?” She snorted, nocking another arrow. But, Venom was in front of her harrying the dragon woman. She spun around, letting the arrow fly.

“How rude...” The figure spoke, it’s voice both familiar and foreign. The figure had the same body shape of Venom, same gaping jaw and lulling tongue, but it was silvery and it’s body seemed to move like liquid. “Shooting at your own boyfriend.” It was holding the arrow in it’s large hand and snapped the reinforced arrow like it was balsa wood.

“Johnny?” Kate asked, concerned for her partner and teammate’s well-being.

“He is with us. Yes.” The symbiote responded as Kate’s eyes went wide.

“Fusion?!” She shook her head. She didn’t understand how any of this alien stuff worked, but she was sure it couldn’t be the slightest bit safe. Fusion nodded and crouched low.

“Where do you need us?”

“Just… go… find something to fight. I think Venom needs help..” Kate watched as her boyfriend, now inhabited by an alien parasite, took off and jumped back into the fray.

 

Venom was knocked back as the dragon took to the air. He had done well keeping her grounded while Gwen tried to tie her up, but now after breaking the rope she didn’t want to stick around to let them do that again. Venom watched as Gwen was tossed from her back, but before he could launch himself up to catch her, a silver blur snatched her up, landing not far from him. Even with their new host, their new body from, Venom imminently recognized the chemical scent of Fusion. He rushed to greet them, their tongues intertwining as foreheads touched.

“ _See? I told you they’d be fine._ ” Eddie sounded like he was gloating.

“The frightened boy with the piercings?” Venom asked as he looked Fusion’s new form over.

“It was what we had available.” They snorted, flexing their arms. “Not a perfect match, but one that will suffice. Solite is busy. We must protect her and the annoying one.”

Venom looked back toward Quire and Solite, standing side by side with one arm on the other’s shoulder, their free hands raised to their temples and faces scrunched in painful concentration. And the giant women were all about to b ear down on them. 


	30. A2: Lights Out

Solite’s brain was on fire. Merging her mind with Quire’s to further extend their powers was not something she expected to be so painful. Sharing a headspace was something she was use to. Having two personalities in one body was something she was use to. But this was nothing like what she shared with Fusion. Quire’s telepathic and telekinetic powers were absurdly strong. It was no wonder he had taken up the name ‘Kid Omega’. He was possibly the strongest mutant she’d ever run across. She felt as if she was being swallowed whole; she knew all she could do was trust him, and continue to reach out and dig into the minds of the giant women bearing down upon them. Even with her outer senses being dulled by the constant mental bombardment, she could feel the women’s looming presence. In a similar way a spider might feel the pressure of a hand about the slam down on them, she could feel their attack inbound. Yet, right before the impact, it stopped short.

 

The ground under Fusion’s feet buckled as they held back the foot of the giant wasp woman. She stumbled, looking down as her mandibles flexed and oozed a green liquid, before screeching loudly. Venom, who was not too far away dealing with a large fish-like woman, clutched his head at the supersonic noise. But Fusion had a new trick with their new host. Quickly, their form changed from the undulating silver metal to a body of hardened cinder blocks. The supersonic frequency would still hurt, rending them dazed, but it would not force them out of their new body. The cry was cut short though, as Gwen came swinging down from the back of the dragon lady and managed to hit the wasp in the jaw with a bubble-gum like substance.

“Jesus!” She cried as she clung to the wasp’s shoulder. “You guys have the lamest kryptonite! I am allowed to say that right? There’s not gonna be lawyer or.. RIGHT! This is a fan-fic, duh.” She pulled herself back up and peered down. “You two deal with the others! I have Ms. Fly here!”

 

Fusion’s head groaned as the cinder blocks rubbed against each other. They turned to the fish, who had grabbed the dazed Venom and was lifting him toward her open jaw. Without thinking, Fusion launched themselves forward, turning back into the liquid metal and scrambling up the giant’s leg.

“I’ve been wanting to try this...” Fusion hissed softly to themselves as they examined their hand. The silvery flesh began to stretch and take the shape of a sickle like blade. They dug the blade in deep, the flesh parting easily against the razor sharp edge. The lady screamed out in pain, letting go of Venom who clambered up her arm and leapt to her face to continuing to harry her.

Together, they had bought the telepaths – mainly Quire – enough time to complete their plan. Simultaneously, the remaining giant’s all went ridged. Venom quickly jumped from the fish to the wasp, snatching Gwen up before returning to stand with Quire and Solite. Fusion had already made their way down as they watched the woman stumble before finally falling to the Earth, sound asleep. Solite had blood trickling out of her nose as she blinked back the sun and groaned in pain. Quire fell to his knees, panting hard.

“That should… should keep them down for a bit...” He commented, wiping blood out from under his own nose.

“Where are America, Clint, and Kate?” Fusion looked around, but the trio was gone. B.R.O.D.O.K. seemed to be missing as well.

Quire grumbled for a moment before shaking his head. “Dealing with the jackass who started this all. They think they found a way to revert these woman back.”

“Well that’s cool...” Eddie said, now back in control and kneeling next to Solite. “But I think I’ll leave that for the real heroes to take care of.”

Fusion stepped forward, taking their hand and caressing Solite’s cheek. Almost instantly, Fusion left Fuse’s body and was once again joined with her long term host. The bleeding from her nose slowed, pained groans stopped, and she opened her eyes fully. Fuse sat to freaking out, checking over himself while Gwen asked him a million questions about what it was like.

 

The ride back to San Francisco was quiet, almost tense. Eddie could tell there was something Solite wanted to say but he couldn’t seem to find the words to ask. Fusion and Venom seemed to sense it too. They kept looking at each other, bobbing and encircling each other in a strange sort of dance similar to what they did before they entangled. Yet ever time Venom would get close to touching, Fusion would snap and hiss at them. As they pulled up the road to their apartments, Eddie finally broke the silence.

“You know… if you ever need anything I’m...We’re...here for you, right?” He parked and turned to look at her, chewing nervously on his lower lip.

Solite simply nodded. “We know… This trip as just been… a lot. I think I need some time to rest and recover.”

“Yeah, we get that.” Eddie gave a chuckle and got out to help her with her bag but she shook her head, taking her things and heading inside.

* * *

 

Eddie didn’t see her for a week after that. She didn’t seem to be at work, and she never answered the door when he went to visit. At the end of the second week, he went to try again, banging loudly on the door and pleading with her to come and talk to him.

“ _Eddie_ … _they’re gone..._ ” Venom rumbled in his head in a tone that seemed as equally concerned as Eddie felt. 

Eddie rested his head against the door. “Where...where could they have gone?” 

“ _We think you know, Eddie..._ ”

He remembered Venom instructing him on how to locate the other symbiote. He took a deep breath and concentrated. He thought of how Solite and Fusion made him feel, how they looked, everything he remembered and held dear. 

He felt the distance stretch out before him. He could feel them, a tiny heartbeat, a small ray of hope, thousands upon thousands of miles away. He could feel the pulse of life where they were though the  stretched  connection like  a dull drumming on a rubber band. He felt it, and he recognized it. 

 

“New York…”

 

He loathed the idea of going back there. His reputation had been ruined. But, it was ruined out here in California too. He had no hope of getting back with Anne, he sure as hell didn’t want to be around when Kasady got out of prison if he ever did; so what did he have to lose? All he could do was pack up, move back into the tangled web of streets and people, and see what the future held. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO SORRY this took so damn long. I got laid off shortly after posting the last part, had to scramble to find a job and move into a cheaper place. Things kinda got hectic and I had to put this on hold until I felt life level back out.   
> Sorry if this part feels a little rushed or doesn't fit in quite right with the rest of the arc. I'll admit I had difficulties with this arc but the next ones should be better. I already have plans for them that I've been sitting on for a while and have had time to work on.
> 
> Aiming to get the next part up by April 30th. I work at a theater now so I make no promises it'll be up by then with the craziness that is End Game about to come out.


End file.
